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Immunoglobulin A Deficiency What is IgA deficiency? Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an antibody blood protein that's part of your immune system. Your body makes IgA and other types of antibodies to help fight off sickness. Having an IgA deficiency means that you have low levels of or

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) What is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)? Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of a woman’s reproductive tract. It can affect the uterus, fallopian tubes, and the ovaries. PID can cause scar tissue that grows between internal organs

Arrhythmias in Children What are arrhythmias in children? An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. When a child has an arrhythmia, abnormal electrical signals sent through the heart muscle may cause the heart to beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or in an

Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media) in Adults What is a middle ear infection? A middle ear infection occurs behind the eardrum. It's most often caused by a virus or bacteria. Most kids have at least one middle ear infection by the time they are 3 years old. Adults can also get

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)? Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a much more severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It may affect people of childbearing age. It’s a severe and chronic health condition that needs

Omphalocele What is an omphalocele? An omphalocele is a birth defect. It happens when your baby is forming during pregnancy. In this condition, some of your baby's abdominal organs poke out (protrude) from the belly through the belly button (umbilicus). A clear (translucent)

Pain Management for Children with Cancer Understanding pain and cancer When a child has cancer, one of their greatest fears, and the fear of parents, is pain. Every effort is made to ease the pain during the treatment process. Because pain is unique to each person, a child's pain

Endometriosis What is endometriosis? The tissue that lines the uterus is called the endometrium. Normally, if a woman doesn’t get pregnant, this tissue is shed each month during her period. In endometriosis, tissue that looks and acts like endometrial tissue implants outside the

Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) What is VWD? Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is an inherited disorder that affects the blood's ability to clot. What causes VWD? VWD is almost always inherited. This means it is passed from parents to children. People with the disorder may have low

Birth Defects in Children What is a birth defect in a child? A birth defect (congenital anomaly) is a health problem or abnormal physical change that is present when a baby is born. Birth defects can be very mild, where the baby looks and acts like any other baby. Or birth