Search Results

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

Newborn Screening Tests What are newborn screening tests? The United States 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

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

Gastrointestinal Problems What might gastrointestinal problems mean in a newborn? A newborn's ability to eat and digest food is essential to growth and development. Most babies are able to absorb nutrients and have normal bowel movements after being fed. Gastrointestinal problems

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

Failure to Thrive (FTT) in Children What is failure to thrive in children? Failure to thrive (FTT) is slow physical development in a baby or child. It's caused by a baby or child not having enough nutrition. FTT is a clinical observation, not a diagnosis. It is used to describe a

Vision Problems in Children Vision problems that may affect your child Eye disorders that affect vision can be divided into refractive and non-refractive errors. Refractive errors. These eye disorders cause blurred vision. They occur because the shape of the eye does not focus

Anemia in Children What is anemia in children? Anemia is a common problem in children. About 20% of children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with anemia at some point. A child who has anemia doesn't have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a type of protein that

Aplastic Anemia in Children What is aplastic anemia in children? Aplastic anemia is a serious condition in which the bone marrow doesn’t make enough new blood cells. With fewer blood cells, a child with aplastic anemia has: Less oxygen sent to organs, tissues, and cells from too

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Children What is immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in children? ITP is a blood disorder that causes a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood. Platelets help stop bleeding. So a decrease in platelets can result in easy bruising