Search Results

Atrioventricular (AV) Canal Defect in Children What is an atrioventricular canal defect in a child? An atrioventricular (AV) canal defect is a congenital heart defect. This means that your child is born with it. AV canal defect is a large hole in the center of the heart. It is

Bacterial Endocarditis in Children What is bacterial endocarditis in children? Bacterial endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart (endocardium), or the heart valves. It doesn't occur in children very often. But when it does, it can cause serious heart damage

Coarctation of the Aorta (COA) in Children What is coarctation of the aorta in children? Coarctation of the aorta (COA) is a heart defect that is present at birth (congenital). It means that the aorta is narrower than it should be. The aorta is the large artery that carries

Heart Failure in Children What is heart failure in children? The heart is a muscle that pumps oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body. When you have heart failure, the heart is not able to pump as well as it should. Blood and fluid may back up into the lungs (congestive heart

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

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)

Dysphagia in Children What is dysphagia in children? Dysphagia means trouble swallowing. This condition happens when food or liquids can’t pass easily from your child’s mouth into the throat, down the esophagus, and into the stomach when swallowing. What causes dysphagia in a

Heart Defects Causing Extra Blood Flow Through the Lungs Click on the links below to learn more about these topics. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) Atrioventricular Canal (AV Canal or AVC)© 2000-2025 The StayWell Company

Heart Transplant for Children What is a heart transplant for a child? A heart transplant is surgery to replace a heart that isn't able to work the way it needs to with a healthy one. The healthy heart comes from an organ donor. Heart donors are adults or children who are

Encopresis What is encopresis? Encopresis is when your child leaks stool into their underwear. It's also called stool soiling. It's most often because of long-term (chronic) constipation. Encopresis happens to children ages 4 and older who have already been toilet trained. In