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Crohn's Disease in Children What is Crohn's disease in children? Crohn's disease is when there is redness, swelling (inflammation), and sores along the digestive tract. It is part of a group of diseases known as inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's disease is a long-term (chronic)

Sickle Cell Disease in Children What is sickle cell disease in children? Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a blood disorder that a child is born with. It's passed down through a parent’s genes. Children with SCD make an abnormal type of hemoglobin. This is the protein in red blood

Alpha Thalassemia in Children What is alpha thalassemia in children? Alpha thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder. This means it is passed down through the parent’s genes. It may cause anemia in their children. Anemia is low numbers of red blood cells or low hemoglobin level

Epilepsy and Seizures in Children What is epilepsy in children? Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes a child to have recurring seizures over time. These seizures can't be linked to a short-term (acute) illness such as an infection, or a short-term injury such as a brain

Medical Genetics: Types of Genetic Changes The human body has about 20,000 different genes in each cell. Genes are located on chromosomes, which are stick-shaped structures in the middle of the cell (nucleus). Each cell usually has 46 chromosomes grouped in 23 pairs. Each gene

Congenital Heart Disease According to the American Heart Association, about 9 of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. have a congenital heart defect. This is a problem that occurs as the baby's heart is developing during pregnancy, before the baby is born. Congenital heart defects

Diaphragmatic Hernia in Children What are diaphragmatic hernias in children? A diaphragmatic hernia is a birth defect that occurs in about 1 in 2,500 newborns. It happens in a baby during pregnancy. In this condition, there’s an opening in your baby’s diaphragm. This is the

Communication Disorders in Children What are communication disorders in children? A child with a communication disorder has trouble communicating with others. They may not understand or make the sounds of speech. The child may also struggle with word choice, word order, or

HIV Home Carefor aChild What is HIV? HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS, which is advanced HIV disease. HIV infection may lead to the body's immune system not fighting off infections as well as it should. A child with HIV needs more care to remain

Hypospadias in Children What is hypospadias in children? Hypospadias is a problem where the opening of the urethra is not at the tip of the penis. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. With hypospadias, the end of the tube is