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Birth Defects in Children What is a birth defect in a child? A birth defect (congenital anomaly) is a health problem or abnormal physical change that is present when a baby is born. Birth defects can be very mild, where the baby looks and acts like any other baby. Or birth

Molluscum Contagiosum in Children What is molluscum contagiosum in children? Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin disease that causes small pink or skin-colored bumps on your child’s skin. It is not harmful and usually does not have any other symptoms. The virus is inside the

Nightmares and Night Terrors What are night terrors? A night terror is a partial waking from sleep with behaviors such as screaming, kicking, panic, sleep walking, thrashing, or mumbling. They are harmless, and each episode will end in deep sleep. They tend to occur in children

Necrotizing Enterocolitis in the Newborn What is necrotizing enterocolitis in the newborn? Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious, life-threatening illness in newborns. It happens when tissue in the large intestine (colon) gets inflamed. This inflammation damages and kills

Craniosynostosis What is craniosynostosis? The skull is made up of 8 bones and joints where the bones of the skull meet (sutures). These sutures allow the skull to grow as an infant grows and develops. Over time, the sutures close and the bones fuse together. This forms the skull

The Child's Immune System What is the immune system? The immune system protects your child's body from outside invaders. This includes germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and toxins (chemicals made by microbes). The immune system is made up of different organs, cells

About the Heart and Blood Vessels The heart is the hardest working muscle in the human body. Located almost in the center of the chest, a healthy adult heart is the size of a clenched adult fist. By age 70, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. The heart is

Arrhythmias in Children What are arrhythmias in children? An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. When a child has an arrhythmia, abnormal electrical signals sent through the heart muscle may cause the heart to beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or in an

Aortic Stenosis in Children What is aortic stenosis in children? Aortic stenosis means that your child has a heart valve that is too narrow or is blocked. The aortic valve is 1 of 4 heart valves that keep blood flowing through the heart. The valves make sure blood flows in only

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) in Children What is an atrial septal defect in children? The atrial septum is the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart (right and left atria). An atrial septal defect (ASD) is an abnormal hole in this wall. ASD is a heart problem that is