There are a number of problems that affect the oral health of children, including tooth decay, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, and early tooth loss. Even though baby teeth are eventually replaced with permanent teeth, keeping baby teeth healthy is important to a child’s overall health and well-being. Baby Bottle Tooth Decay Baby bottle tooth decay (also called early childhood caries, nursing caries, and nursing bottle syndrome) happens… Continue reading Oral Health Problems
Hearing Impairment
Most children with hearing loss are born to parents with normal hearing. That means the entire family may have a lot to learn about living with the condition. You may find out your child has hearing loss when they’re born, or might be diagnosed later in childhood. Either way, the most important thing to do is to… Continue reading Hearing Impairment
Dwarfism
What Is Dwarfism? Dwarfism is when a person is short in stature because of their genes or a medical reason. It’s defined by the advocacy groups Little People of the World Organization (LPOTW) and Little People of America (LPA) as an adult height of 4 feet 10 inches or under, as a result of a… Continue reading Dwarfism
Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
Cleft lip and cleft palate are facial and oral malformations that occur very early in pregnancy, while the baby is developing inside the mother. Clefting results when there is not enough tissue in the mouth or lip area, and the tissue that is available does not join together properly. A cleft lip is a physical split or separation of… Continue reading Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
Progeria
What Is Progeria? Progeria is also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) or the “Benjamin Button” disease (named after the short story and movie ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’). It’s a rare genetic condition that results in a child’s body aging rapidly. A mutation in the LMNA gene causes progeria. Most kids with progeria don’t… Continue reading Progeria
Brittle Bone Disease
Brittle bone disease is a lifelong genetic disorder that causes your bones to break very easily, usually without any type of injury, as from a fall. Your doctor may also call it osteogenesis imperfecta. It affects both sexes and all races equally. There is no cure for brittle bone disease, but your doctor can treat… Continue reading Brittle Bone Disease
Pfeiffer Syndrome
Pfeiffer syndrome is a rare birth defect that affects the shape of a baby’s skull and face. When you’re born, the top of your skull isn’t one solid piece. It’s actually made up of several bones with special joints between them. This allows it to expand so your brain has room to grow. Normally, the skull bones come together… Continue reading Pfeiffer Syndrome
Apert Syndrome
Apert syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes abnormal development of the skull. Babies with Apert syndrome are born with a distorted shape of the head and face. Many children with Apert syndrome also have other birth defects. Apert syndrome has no cure, but surgery can help correct some of the problems that result. Causes… Continue reading Apert Syndrome
Wilms Tumor
What Is Wilms Tumor? A Wilms tumor (also called a nephroblastoma) is the most common kidney cancer in children. Most children with it have a tumor on one kidney, but about 5% get a tumor on both. The reasons aren’t clear, but it most often affects kids who are 3 to 4 years old. It’s much less common… Continue reading Wilms Tumor
Medulloblastoma
Medulloblastoma is the most common kind of cancerous brain tumor in children under age 16. It’s typically found between ages 3 and 8. About 500 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with a medulloblastoma each year. They’re more common in boys than in girls, and they happen less often in adults. (In adults, it is… Continue reading Medulloblastoma