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Cardiomyopathy and Your Child What is cardiomyopathy? Cardiomyopathy is disease of the heart muscle. It makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. There are different types of the disease. Each of these can cause the heart muscle to get larger, thicken, or become stiff

Appendicitis in Children What is appendicitis in children? Appendicitis is a painful swelling, inflammation, and infection of the appendix. It's a medical emergency because the appendix can burst or rupture. This is serious and can lead to more widespread infection. If not

Biliary Atresia in Children What is biliary atresia in children? Biliary atresia is a rare liver disease that occurs in newborn babies. It's often found shortly after birth. The disorder affects tubes in the liver called bile ducts. If not treated with surgery, it can be fatal

Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Children What is Guillain-Barré syndrome in children? Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a short-term but often life-threatening disorder that affects the nerves in the body. GBS can cause muscle weakness, pain, and short-term (temporary) paralysis of the

Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Babies What is IVH in babies? Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is bleeding inside or around the ventricles in the brain. The ventricles are the spaces in the brain that contain the cerebral spinal fluid. Bleeding in the brain can put pressure on

Chemotherapy for Children What is chemotherapy for a child? Chemotherapy (chemo) is the use of medicines to treat cancer or kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy has been used for many years. It’s one of the most common treatments for many types of cancer. The groups of cancer therapy

Germ Cell Tumors (GCTs) in Children What are germ cell tumors in children? A type of cell that forms as a fetus (also called unborn baby or embryo) develops is called a germ cell. Germ cells are the cells that make the eggs (ova) in females and the sperm in males. Germ cell

Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis in Children What is slipped capital femoral epiphysis in children? Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a condition of the hip joint that affects children. In SCFE, the ball of the thighbone (femoral head) slips off the neck of the

Tibial Torsion in Children What is tibial torsion in children? Tibial torsion is an inward twisting of the shinbones. These bones are located between the knee and the ankle. Tibial torsion causes a child’s feet to turn inward. The child may look pigeon-toed (intoeing). It is

Meningitis in Children What is meningitis in children? Meningitis is a swelling (inflammation) of the thin membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord. These membranes are called the meninges. What causes meningitis in a child? Meningitis is most often caused by a