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Related concepts: AS, ASD, Aortic Valve Stenosis, Atrial Septal Defects, CHD, Coarctation of the Aorta, Hypoplastic Left Ventricle, Patent Ductus Arteriosus, PDA, PS, Pulmonary Valve Stenosis, Tetralogy of Fallot, TGA, TOF, Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return, Transposition of the Great Arteries, Tricuspid Atresia, Truncus Introduction to congenital heart disease: A baby’s heart begins to beat [...]

Related concepts: The Gower Sign, Landouzy-Dejerine Disease, Steinert Disease Introduction to muscular dystrophy: Fundraising telethons and vague images of disabled children loom in most parents’ minds when they hear the words “muscular dystrophy.” The truth is that rapid advances in molecular genetic engineering hold promise for children with muscular dystrophy. Support of these efforts makes [...]

Related concepts: varicella-zoster virus, chickenpox, shingles Introduction to chickenpox: Chickenpox is one of the classic childhood diseases. A young child covered in pox and out of school for a week is a typical scene. The first half of the week feels miserable from itching; the second half miserable from boredom. Since the introduction of the [...]

Introduction to wheezing: Our airways are designed to be responsive to harmful substances in the air. If we walk through clouds of smoke, our airways will shrink, protecting our delicate lung tissues from the noxious ingredients in the smoke. They should return to normal when we begin to breathe fresh air. Some people – those [...]

Related concepts: HPV, Verrucae, Common warts, Genital warts, Condylomata accuminata Introduction to warts: Contrary to well-established belief, the underside of a wart is smooth and round, and the entire wart is confined to the epidermis — the outermost layer of the skin. There are no ‘roots’! Even without roots, warts can be difficult to destroy. [...]

Introduction to vomiting: It tugs at our hearts to hear our children retch, to watch them vomit, and to feel helpless to make it go away. Vomiting is intense. It grabs our attention, and it’s intended to! Vomiting is a signal that something going on in the body needs to be addressed.

Related concepts: Kidney reflux Introduction to vesicoureteral reflux: Antibiotics are overused. In recent years, we have become increasingly cautious about their misuse. When parents hear that long-term, daily antibiotics might be recommended for their children with reflux just to prevent urinary tract infections, they are often concerned. But protecting the kidneys can be an excellent [...]

Related concepts: UTI, Cystitis, Bladder Infection Introduction to urinary tract infections: When adults get bladder infections, they typically report burning with urination. Young children, however, may not offer such easy clues. What is urinary tract infections? Infections of the urinary tract are common in young children. Bacteria may enter the urinary tract from the opening [...]

Related concepts: Cryptorchidism, Retractile testicle, Acquired undescended testicle Introduction to undescended testicle: A boy’s testes normally begin life up in the abdomen, as do ovaries. Before birth, they normally descend through a flexible tube, called the inguinal canal, and end up in the scrotum. What is undescended testicle? The testes usually make their journey from [...]

Related concepts: Bellybutton Bulge Introduction to umbilical hernia: When parents come to me about an umbilical hernia, their concern is both about the word “hernia” and about the appearance of the soft lump on their baby’s belly. They want the belly button to look “normal”. Parents almost never ask me about taping a coin to [...]