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Juvenile Dermatomyositis What is juvenile dermatomyositis? Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare disease that causes muscle inflammation and a skin rash. It's different from other muscle diseases because it also causes skin problems. Symptoms often first appear in children

Congenital Hypothyroidism in Children What is congenital hypothyroidism? When the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone, it's called hypothyroidism. Congenital hypothyroidism is when the disorder is present in a baby at birth. If not treated, it can lead to serious

IgA Vasculitis in Children What is IgA vasculitis in children? IgA vasculitis is also called Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP). It's not contagious It involves swelling (inflammation) of small blood vessels. The swollen blood vessels leak into the skin, joints, intestines, and

Juvenile Ankylosing Spondylitis (JAS) in Children What is juvenile ankylosing spondylitis in children? Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis. It affects the spine and the places where the muscles, tendons, and ligaments attach to the bone. Ankylosing means stiff

Newborn Screening Tests What are newborn screening tests? The U.S. has a national program of newborn screening tests. These check for health disorders that can be treated if they're found very early in life. If the screening test results are abnormal, it means more tests need to

Rheumatic Fever What is rheumatic fever? Rheumatic fever is a complex disease that affects the joints, skin, heart, blood vessels, and brain. It occurs mainly in children between the ages of 5 to 15. It's an autoimmune disease that occurs after an infection with strep

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Children What is type 1 diabetes in children? Diabetes is a condition in which the body can't make enough insulin, or can't use insulin normally. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder. The body's immune system damages the cells in the pancreas that

Scleroderma in Children What is scleroderma in children? Scleroderma is an ongoing (chronic) disease that causes abnormal growth of connective tissue. It can affect the joints, skin, cartilage, and internal organs. It is a rare degenerative disease and gets worse over time. There

Septic Arthritis (Infectious Arthritis) in Children What is septic arthritis in children? Septic arthritis is an infection in the joint fluid (synovial fluid) and joint tissues. It occurs more often in children than in adults. The infection usually reaches the joints through the

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