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Schizophrenia in Children What is schizophrenia in children? Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. It's a long-lasting and disabling problem of the brain. It can be treated, but right now there is no cure. A child with this disorder has unusual behavior and strange feelings

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

Growth Hormone Deficiency in Children What is growth hormone deficiency in children? Growth hormone (GH) deficiency is when the pituitary gland doesn't make enough growth hormone. GH is needed to stimulate growth of bone and other tissues. This condition can occur at any age. GH

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in Children What is IBS in children? Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term (chronic) disorder that affects the intestine. IBS causes painful belly (abdominal) and bowel symptoms. With IBS, the colon appears normal. But pain and a change in

Kyphosis in Children What is kyphosis in children? Kyphosis is a deformity of the backbone (spine). It’s when the bones of the spine (vertebrae) in the upper back curve outward more than they should. A child with kyphosis has a back that is abnormally rounded or humpback. The

Precocious Puberty What is precocious puberty? Puberty that happens early is called precocious puberty. This means a child's physical signs of sexual maturity develop too soon. This includes breast growth, pubic hair, and voice changes. These are known as secondary sexual

Microcephaly in Children What is microcephaly in children? Microcephaly is a condition where a baby's head is much smaller than normal. It is most often present at birth (congenital). Most children with microcephaly also have a small brain and an intellectual disability. Some

Apnea of Prematurity What is apnea of prematurity? Apnea is a term that means breathing has stopped for more than 20 seconds. It can happen in full-term babies, but it's more common in premature babies. The more premature the baby, the greater the chances that apnea will occur

Cystic Fibrosis and the Digestive System How does CF affect the digestive system? Children with cystic fibrosis (CF) have a protein in their cells that doesn't work right. The protein is called CFTR (the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator). CFTR controls the flow of water

Circumcision for Children What is circumcision for children? Circumcision is a surgery to remove the skin covering the end of the penis. This skin is called the foreskin. This surgery is most often done 1 or 2 days after a baby’s birth. Circumcision can also be done on older