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Addison Disease in Children What is Addison disease in a child? Addison disease, also called primary adrenal insufficiency, is when the adrenal glands don't make enough of the "stress" hormone called cortisol. Cortisol controls metabolism, blocks inflammatory reactions, and

Dehydration What is dehydration? Dehydration means that you don’t have enough water in your body. The human body normally contains a lot of water. In fact, 50% to 60% of your body weight comes from water. It helps keep your body healthy and working well. Mild dehydration can

Bacterial Endocarditis in Children What is bacterial endocarditis in children? Bacterial endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart (endocardium), or the heart valves. It doesn't occur in children very often. But when it does, it can cause serious heart damage

Hyperparathyroidism in Children What is hyperparathyroidism in children? Hyperparathyroidism is when the parathyroid glands make too much parathyroid hormone. The condition is rare in children. The parathyroid glands are 4 tiny glands located on the back of the thyroid. The

Osteoporosis What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that causes weak, thinning bones. This puts the bones at greater risk of breaking. The bones most often affected are the hips, spine, and wrists. What causes osteoporosis? Researchers don't know the exact cause for

Diphtheria What is diphtheria? Diphtheria is an illness caused by bacteria. There are two types: Respiratory diphtheria. This type affects the throat, nose, and tonsils. Skin (cutaneous) diphtheria. This type affects the skin. It was a common childhood disease in the past. A

Kyphosis What is kyphosis? A normal spine, when viewed from behind, appears straight. However, a spine affected by kyphosis has a forward curvature of the back bones (vertebrae) in the upper back area, giving an abnormally rounded or humpback appearance. This is sometimes known

Sepsis in the Newborn What is newborn sepsis? Newborn sepsis is a severe infection in an infant younger than 28 days old. The infection is in your baby’s blood. But it may affect any body system or the whole body. What causes newborn sepsis? Newborn sepsis is most often caused by

Learning Disorders in Children What is a learning disorder in children? A learning disorder is when a child has trouble learning in certain school subjects. Your child may have problems with reading, math, or writing. Skills are below what's expected for the child’s age, grade

Delayed Puberty What is delayed puberty? Puberty that happens late is called delayed puberty. This means a child's physical signs of sexual maturity don’t appear by age 12 to 13 in girls or age 13 to 14 in boys. This includes breast or testicle growth but can also include pubic