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Featured Condtion/Disease: Heart Disease
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Heart Disease.
Definition
Heart disease, also called cardiac disease, is a heart defect. The word cardiac refers to the heart. Cardiac or heart disease means the heart muscle can't properly deliver oxygen and other essentials to the organs and tissues. Heart disease includes many different conditions. The heart pumps blood all over the body to bring oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the body.
Evaluation/Screening
If you have a child from the age from birth to three years old, you can have your child screened for heart disease through the Florida Early Steps program. Click here to see a list of Early Steps offices in your area.
More Information
To get more information, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condition/Disease: Muscular Dystrophy
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Muscular Dystrophy.
Definition
Muscular Dystrophy (MD) is a degenerative disease in which the muscles of the body get weaker and weaker and slowly stop working. Degenerative means the condition worsens slowly over time. Your child's muscles need many different kinds of proteins to stay healthy. When you hear the word "protein" you might think of such food as meat and peanut butter that contain protein. Your body also makes proteins, and your genes tell your body how to make proteins your muscles need. Children with muscular dystrophy have genes that have the wrong information or leave out important information, so the body can't make these proteins properly. Without these proteins, the muscles break down and weaken over time. As this happens to muscles, children with muscular dystrophy begin to have problems with the way their bodies work.
Types
Among the nine types of muscular dystrophy, seven affect children. The seven types are:
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Theprotein dystrophin helps to keep muscle cells whole and healthy. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy happens when this protein is missing. It usually begins in early childhood (between the ages of 2 to 6). Duchenne eventually affects the heart and breathing muscles. Children with this kind of Muscular Dystrophy don't usually live beyond the early 30s.
Becker Muscular Dystrophy: This form of MD also happens when the body does not make enough of the protein dystrophin. It is very similar to Duchenne MD but often less severe. Many children with this type of MD have heart problems. Children with Becker's MD though usually live to middle age older.
Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy: This type is caused by a sudden change in the genes that produce proteins in the muscle cells. Each cell has a nucleus surrounded by a membrane where the proteins are suddenly changed. It usually begins by age 10. This type of MD progresses slowly. Heart complications are common.
Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy: This type is caused by a change in any one of a possible 15 genes that affect proteins the body needs for muscles to work. The beginning of this form of MD can occur anytime during childhood through adulthood. Limb-Girdle usually progresses slowly.
Faciosapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy: It is usually diagnosed by age 20. Faciosapulohumeral MD usually progresses slowly with some periods when the muscles worsen rapidly. It is caused by a missing DNA on chromosome 4. DNA is a necessary component of all living matter and a basic material in the chromosomes.
Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy: The disease appears at birth in one form, but another form begins in teen or adult years. The progress of changes in how the muscles work can last 50 to 60 years. It is caused by a repeated section of DNA on either Chromosome 3 or 19. DNA is a necessary component in all living matter.
Congenital Muscular Dystrophy: It is caused by changes affecting some of the proteins needed by muscles and can affect the eyes and brain. The disease begins at or very near birth. Sometimes this type progresses slowly, but still can cause a shortened life span.
More Information
To get more information, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Spina Bifida
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Spina Bifida.
Definition
Spina bifida, a condition present at birth, includes three kinds: Occulta, Meningocele (mild disabilities or problems later), and Myelomeningocele. This fact sheet is about the most serious -- Myelomeningocele.
Spina bifida occurs while the baby is still developing and growing inside the mother. The baby's spine doesn't develop correctly. At birth the spinal cord is open at the back or exposed (also called a neural tube defect). Early in pregnancy, cells form a closed tube (neural tube) that eventually becomes the baby's brain and spinal cord. A neural tube defect happens when the tube does not completely close. A neural tube defect can happen anywhere on the spine, but usually happens to the lower part of the spinal cord. A child born with a neural tube defect usually will have difficulty walking, and may need leg braces, crutches, a walker and, in some cases, a wheelchair (Gargiulo, 2001).
Spina bifida differs for every person. Many children with spina bifida have hydrocephalus (a build-up of fluid on the brain). Because children with spina bifida have problems with the spine, the fluid in the brain does not drain properly.
Other potential difficulties occurring with spina bifida include full or partial paralysis (the inability to move part or all of the body). Children with spina bifida and full or partial paralysis also may have problems with weight gain and obesity. Since children with spina bifida usually have damage to the spine, they can have problems with the nerves controlling the bladder and bowels. (These nerves are in the lower part of the spinal cord.) They may have problems controlling their bladder and bowel (unable to tell when they need to use the bathroom).
Children with spina bifida more likely have learning disabilities, problems with depression and an allergy
to latex (reaction to a common type of rubber). They sometimes have social and sexual issues because they may go through puberty at a younger age than most children.
Evaluation/Screening
If you have a child from the age from birth to three years old, you can have your child screened for spina bifida through the Florida Early Steps program. Click here to see a list of Early Steps offices in your area.
More Information
To get more information about spina bifida, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Ear Infections
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Ear Infections.
Definition
Overview of Ear Infections
There are three main kinds of ear infections, which are called acute otitis (oh-TIE-tus) media (AOM), otitis media with effusion (uh-FEW-zhun) (OME), and otitis externa (Swimmer’s Ear). Sometimes ear infections can be painful and may even need antibiotics. Your healthcare provider will be able to determine what kind of ear infection you or your child has and if antibiotics would help.
Acute otitis media
The type of ear infection that is usually painful and may improve with antibiotic treatment is called acute otitis (oh-TIE-tus) media, or AOM. Symptoms of AOM include pain, redness of the eardrum, pus in the ear, and fever. Children may pull on the affected ear, and infants or toddlers may be irritable. Antibiotics are often prescribed to children for AOM, but are not always necessary.
Otitis media with effusion
Otitis media with effusion (uh-FEW-zhun), or OME, is a build up of fluid in the middle ear without signs and symptoms of acute infection (pain, redness of the eardrum, pus, and fever). OME is more common than AOM, and may be caused by viral upper respiratory infections, allergies, or exposure to irritants (such as cigarette smoke). The build up of fluid in the middle ear does not usually cause pain and almost always goes away on its own. OME will not usually benefit from antibiotic treatment.
Otitis externa (Swimmer’s Ear)
Otitis externa, more commonly known as Swimmer’s Ear, is an infection of the ear and/or outer ear canal. It can cause the ear to itch or become red and inflamed so that head movement or touching of the ear is very painful. There may also be pus that drains from the ear. Antibiotics are usually needed to treat otitis externa.
Symptons
Acute otitis media (AOM)
- Pulling at ears
- Excessive crying
- Fluid draining from ears
- Sleep disturbances
- Fever
- Headaches
- Problems with hearing
- Irritability
- Difficulty balancing
Otitis media with effusion (OME)
- Problems with hearing
To get more information about ear infections, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Type 2 Diabetes
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Diabetes.
Definition
Diabetes is a condition in which people have abnormally high levels of sugar (glucose) in their blood. There are two main types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 2 diabetes is by far the more common type of diabetes. It accounts for over 90% of all diabetes cases. Type 2 diabetes was once known as "adult-onset diabetes" but this term is no longer used because Type 2 is on the rise in all age groups, including among children. Type 2 is increasing primarily because more children and adults are becoming overweight and obese.
People with diabetes lose the ability to control the level of sugar in their blood. Sugar rises to excessive levels in the blood because it can't enter the cells of the body - in the usual way and because an excess of sugar is produced in the liver. So, for example, without sugar getting inside the muscle cells, these cells don't have enough fuel to keep the body working properly. The same is true for other cell types throughout the body.
The main feature of type 2 diabetes is the body's resistance to the action of insulin in the cells. This is a condition known as insulin resistance. Obesity may be the single most important factor in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
More Information
To get more information on Type 2 Diabetes, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Children with DIABETES site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Group B Strep
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Group B Strep.
Definition
Group B strep (GBS) is a type of bacteria that is often found in the vagina and rectum of healthy women. In the United States, about 1 in 4 women carry this type of bacteria. Women of any race or ethnicity can carry these bacteria. Being a carrier for these bacteria does not mean you have an infection. It only means that you have group B strep bacteria in your body.
Finding the GBS bacteria does not mean that you are not clean, and it does not mean that you have a sexually transmitted disease. The bacteria are not spread from food, sex, water, or anything that you might have come into contact with. They can come and go naturally in the body.
GBS can be passed from a mother to her baby during childbirth.
GBS is a leading cause of life-threatening infections in newborns, including pneumonia (lung infection), sepsis (blood infection), meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord), and other problems. Sadly, many infants can die or have serious long-term effects from a GBS infection.
Preventing Group B Strep in New Borns
Ask your doctor or nurse for a GBS test when you are 35–37 weeks pregnant (in your 9th month). The test is an easy swab of the vagina and rectum that should not hurt.
Each time you are pregnant, you need to be tested for GBS. It doesn't matter if you did or did not have this type of bacteria before; each pregnancy is different.Carrying GBS bacteria does not mean that you are not clean, and it does not mean that you have a sexually transmitted disease. The bacteria are not spread from food, sex, water, or anything that you might have come into contact with. They can come and go naturally in the body.
The medicine to stop GBS from spreading to your baby is an antibiotic given during labor. The antibiotic (usually penicillin) is given to you through an IV (in the vein) during childbirth. If you are allergic to penicillin, there are other ways to help treat you during labor.
Antibiotics taken before labor will not protect your baby against GBS. The bacteria can grow back so fast that taking the medicine before you begin labor does not prevent the bacteria from spreading to your baby during childbirth.
Other people in the house, including kids, are not at risk of getting sick from GBS. If you think you might have a C-section or go into labor early (prematurely), talk with your doctor or nurse about your personal GBS plan.
More Information
To get more information about Group B Strep and its prevention in New Born Infants, go here.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: HIV/AIDS
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is HIV/AIDS.
Definition
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a disease that attacks and destroys the body's immune system. The immune system is the body's defense against diseases and sickness. If the immune system does not work well, a person can develop deadly infections and cancers.
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the most serious stage of HIV infection. This stage means the immune system of the infected person has been destroyed.
Being infected with HIV does not mean a person has AIDS, but rather that the person's immune system may be damaged, leading to AIDS.
Effects on a Child's Health
How HIV infection will affect a child's health differs with each child. Some children show symptoms of the infection as early as the year they are born; others may not show any signs of disease until much later. How old the child is when symptoms start to show is an important clue to how your child's health may be affected.
HIV makes your child's immune system weak and hard to fight off infections or cancer, and it can make your child more vulnerable to other problems and diseases. Sometimes it can even cause strokes. The medicines used to treat HIV can have many side effects. Medicine used to treat HIV can help, but not cure the disease. Some possible side effects of the treatment include:
- Fever.
- Nausea or being sick to the stomach.
- Fatigue or tiring often and easily.
To get more information about HIV/AIDS, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Immune System Disorders
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Immune System Disorders.
Definition
The immune system -- your body's defense system against getting sick -- is made up of organs, tissues, cells, blood and other fluids that work together to defend the body against germs. Germs are bacteria and viruses that can harm the body. Germs are what make us sick when we catch a cold or an infection. The amazingly complex immune system can recognize millions of different enemies to the body. It can call on special cells and secretions to find and destroy those enemies. We count on our body's immune system, sometimes with the help of medicines such as antibiotics, to eliminate germs that cause infection. Some people are born with an immune defense system that is faulty. Immune system disorders (sometimes called Immunodeficiency Diseases) happen when the immune system does not defend the body normally and can affect any part of the immune system.
Signs- Eight or more ear infections in a year.
- Two or more serious sinus infections within a year. (Sinuses are the air passages in the bones of the cheeks, forehead and jaw.)
- Two or more pneumonia cases within a year.
- Need for intravenous antibiotics to clear infections. (Medications go directly into your child's veins in a hospital.)
- A family history of immune system problems.
To get more information about Immune System Disorders, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Seasonal Flu
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Seasonal Flu.
Definition
Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent seasonal flu is by getting a seasonal flu vaccination each year. Each year in the United States on average, 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; on average, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications. This flu season could be worse.
Signs of Cold vs Flu
The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses but they are caused by different viruses. Because these two types of illnesses have similar flu-like symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.
How can you tell the difference between a cold and the flu?
Because colds and flu share many symptoms, it can be difficult (or even impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Special tests that usually must be done within the first few days of illness can be carried out, when needed to tell if a person has the flu.
What are the symptoms of the flu versus the symptoms of a cold?
In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms such as fever, body aches, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are more common and intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations.
More Information
To read more information about Seasonal Flu, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Traumatic Brain Injury
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Traumatic Brain Injury.
Definition
When a brain injury occurs, the functions of the neurons (nerve cells), nerve paths or parts of the brain can be affected. The affected neurons and nerve paths might be unable or have difficulty carrying the messages telling the brain what to do. This can change the way a person thinks, acts, feels and moves the body. Brain injury also can change the way the body works, affecting body temperature, blood pressure and going to the bathroom. These changes can be for a short time or for life. These injuries may cause a change or a complete inability to perform a function.
Signs
- Losing consciousness after the brain injury.
- Loss of memory after the trauma (brain injury) when they wake up after losing consciousness (called post-traumatic amnesia).
- Personality change (meaning they will not act and react as they did before the injury).
- Cognitive deficits (a change in the ability to think or reason). Changes can vary widely because no two head injuries are alike.
- The black center of the eye is large and does not get smaller in light (called dilated pupils).
- Tires easily and often.
- Language deficits (problems talking as before; may have "lost" language or words they can't remember).
- Behavior problems. Acting out or angry.
- Can't "keep up" and doing poorly in school.
- May not grow and develop normally. Skills delayed or not develop at all.
- Recovery times are long, up to five years.
- Different from other children their age. This becomes more obvious as time goes on, and they don't "catch up."
To get more information about Traumatic Brain Injuries, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Epilepsy
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Epilesy.
Definition
Epilepsy is a condition of the brain that makes children have recurring seizures. A seizure is caused by a sudden change in the brain's normal electrical activity (similar to the way the lights flickering in a house because power lines are shaken during a storm). The brain uses electricity, too, and can be interrupted briefly.
Seizures can look very different. Some children have just one type of seizure, others more than one type. Some ways a seizure can affect a child:
- Causing a short time during which the child can't use one of the senses (ability to taste, feel, see, hear or smell).
- Causing a child to go unconscious for a short time or just sit staring into space for a time.
- Causing convulsions.
Epilepsy is not a mental disorder. Nor does epilepsy generally worsen with time. Sometimes epilepsy goes away after several years. Despite most often being a chronic condition, children can live normal lives with the help of anticonvulsant medications (anti-seizure drugs).
Signs
Seizures are the main sign of epilepsy. A child with a seizure might:
- Seem to be daydreaming or not paying attention.
- Suddenly stop while talking or doing something and stare with a blank face, followed by rolling eyes and fluttering eyelids.
- Suddenly go stiff (especially the arms and legs).
- Make a crying sound.
- Have increased saliva (drooling).
- Shake a leg/arm or whole body repeatedly, with or without blacking out.
- In extreme cases stop breathing.
- May feel sleepy and confused, or upset.
- Have a headache.
- Feel sick to stomach (nausea) or throw up (vomit).
- May slur speech or be hard to understand for a little while.
To get more information about Epilepsy, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Jaundice
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Jaundice.
Definition
Jaundice is the yellow color seen in the skin of many newborns. It happens when a chemical called bilirubin builds up in the baby’s blood. Jaundice can occur in babies of any race or ethnicity, regardless of skin color. Low levels of bilirubin are not a problem, but a few babies have too much jaundice. If not treated, high levels of bilirubin can cause brain damage and a life-long condition called kernicterus. Yet, early detection and management of jaundice can prevent kernicterus. At a minimum, babies should be assessed for jaundice every 8 to 12 hours in the first 48 hours of life and again before 5 days of age.
Signs
Ask your pediatrician to see your baby the day you call, if your baby
- Is very yellow or orange (skin color changes start from the head and spread to the toes)
- Is hard to wake up or will not sleep at all
- Is not breastfeeding or sucking from a bottle well
- Is very fussy
- Does not have enough wet or dirty diapers
Get emergency medical help if your baby
- Is crying inconsolably or with a high pitchIs arched like a bow (the head or neck and heels are bent backward and the body forward)
- Has a stiff, limp, or floppy body
- Has strange eye movements
To get more information about Jaundice, go here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
DefinitionAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) makes it difficult for children to control their behavior and stay focused. ADHD is usually diagnosed when children first go to school, a time when they must sit for longer periods and pay attention in class. Parents are often aware years earlier that their child has a problem.
Having ADHD doesn't mean your child has a problem with intelligence or ability to reason. Children with ADHD usually have normal or above-normal intelligence, and many are gifted.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) used to be called Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), but that term isn't really used any more. Today the term ADHD is used with an add-on comment of "with the hyperactivity" or "without hyperactivity." The differences are related to the fidgety behavior or ”hyperactivity“ some children have. Hyperactivity is more than just being "active." It is activity much greater than children typically have. Below are the types of ADHD.
- Inattentive type: Many children with ADHD have problems paying attention. Children with the inattentive type of ADHD often:
- Don't pay close attention to details and make careless mistakes.
- Cannot focus on the same task for long.
- Don't follow through on instructions or finish schoolwork or chores.
- Cannot organize tasks and activities well.
- Get distracted easily.
- Often lose things such as toys, school work and books.
- Hyperactive-impulsive type: Being more active than other children is probably the most visible sign of ADHD. The hyperactive child is "always on the go." As he or she gets older, the activity level may go down. These children are also impulsive, meaning they often act before thinking, like running across the street without looking. Hyperactivity and impulsivity tend to go together. Children with the hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD often may:
- Fidget and squirm more than other children.
- Have a hard time staying in their seats.
- Run around or climb constantly or when they are told not to.
- Have trouble playing quietly.
- Talk too much.
- Blurt out answers before questions have been completed.
- Have trouble waiting their turn.
- Interrupt others when they're talking.
- Butt in on the games others are playing.
- Combined type: Children with the combined type of ADHD have symptoms of both these types described above. They have problems with paying attention, with hyperactivity and with controlling their impulses. Of course, from time to time, all children are inattentive, impulsive and too active. With children who have ADHD though, these behaviors are the rule, not the exception.
- Inattention:
This includes children who have trouble keeping their minds on what they are doing and often skip from one activity to the next without completing anything. They don't pay attention to details and often make mistakes. They have problems organizing and planning and often lose or misplace their schoolwork, pens, toys or other things.
- Hyperactivity:
Hyperactive children always seem to be in motion. Sitting still seems nearly impossible. They may dash around, wriggle in their seats, roam around the room or talk without stopping. They wiggle their feet or tap their pencils. They are often restless, bouncing around from one activity to the next or trying to do several things at once.
- Impulsivity:
These children often blurt out answers before questions have been completed. They have difficulty waiting for their turn. They often butt into conversations or games. They get into fights for little or no reason.
More Information
To get more information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
more - Inattentive type: Many children with ADHD have problems paying attention. Children with the inattentive type of ADHD often:
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Cystic Fibrosis
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Cystic Fibrosis.
Definition
Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce your body's secretions (body fluids other than blood) such mucus, sweat, saliva and digestive juices (stomach acid). Normally, these secretions are thin and slippery, but in children with cystic fibrosis, a defective gene causes the secretions to become thick and sticky. The thick mucus can clog the lungs and cause breathing problems. Mucus also can create a block in the pancreas (organ in the body) and other parts of the body causing stomach problems and difficulty digesting food.
Cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening disease, can cause severe lung damage and malnutrition (lack of necessary minerals and vitamins from foods). It is not contagious. Each child with cystic fibrosis is affected differently. Some children with cystic fibrosis are in good or even excellent health. Others are so severely limited by the disease that they may need to be hospitalized or cannot attend school regularly. Exercise is very good for these children, helping to loosen the mucus that clogs the lungs and increasing the ability to breathe deeply. Some children may tire more easily than other children.
In hot weather or when exercising, your child should be encouraged to eat salty snacks and drink extra fluids -- about 6-12 ounces of fluid every 20-30 minutes. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as colas because they can increase fluid loss (www.cff.org). Early identification is important in helping your child to maintain good health. The "sweat test" is the one most often used to determine if a child has cystic fibrosis. This simple and painless procedure measures the salt in a child's sweat. A high salt level indicates cystic fibrosis.
Common Signs
Children with cystic fibrosis can have any of these symptoms:
- Frequent pneumonia.
- Diarrhea
(http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diarrhea_ez/index.htm)and/or greasy, bulky stools. - Poor weight gain.
- Cough lasting more than a month.
- Shortness of breath.
- Constant upset stomach.
- Very salty-tasting skin, often noticed by parents when they kiss their child.
More Information
To get more information about Cystic Fibrosis, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site. more -
Featured Condtion/Disease: Cerebral Palsy
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Cerebral Palsy.
Definition
Cerebral palsy is a group of problems that make it difficult for people to control their own physical movement. A child with cerebral palsy can't move muscles normally. Cerebral palsy is caused when the part of the brain that controls muscle movement doesn't work properly. How much control the child has of movements will depend on how much the brain differs from normal.
In most cases, cerebral palsy doesn't worsen with age. This means children don't usually lose things they have already learned. Most children benefit greatly from treatment and therapy.
Getting Help
If you have a child from the age from birth to three years old, you can have your child screened for cerebral palsy through the Florida Early Steps program. Click here to see a list of Early Steps offices in your area.
More Information
To get more information about Cerebral Palsy, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs).
Definition
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects can include physical problems and problems with behavior and learning. Often, a person with an FASD has a mix of these problems.
Characteristics and Behaviors of Children with FASD
- Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum)
- Small head size
- Shorter-than-average height
- Low body weight
- Poor coordination
- Hyperactive behavior
- Difficulty paying attention
- Poor memory
- Difficulty in school (especially with math)
- Learning disabilities
- Speech and language delays
- Intellectual disability or low IQ
- Poor reasoning and judgment skills
- Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
- Vision or hearing problems
- Problems with the heart, kidney, or bones
To get more information about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site. more -
Featured Condtion/Disease: RWI
We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Recreational Water Illness (RWI).
Definition
Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are illnesses that are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans. Recreational water illnesses can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea.
Most Common Areas
RWIs can be spread through use of swimming pools, hot tubs, decorative water fountains, oceans, lakes, and rivers.
More Information
To get more information about RWI, click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
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Featured Condtion/Disease: Whooping Cough
This is the second post in our ongoing series about childhood/infant diseases or conditions on every other Friday. Today's topic is Whooping Cough.
Defintion
Pertussis (whooping cough) is very contagious and can cause serious illness―especially in infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated. Make sure your young children get their recommended five shots.
Symptoms
Pertussis can cause serious illness in children and adults. The disease starts like the common cold, with runny nose or congestion, sneezing, and maybe mild cough or fever. But after 1–2 weeks, severe coughing begins. Children with the disease cough violently and rapidly, over and over, until the air is gone from their lungs and they're forced to inhale with a loud "whooping" sound. Pertussis is worse for very young children; more than half of infants less than 1 year of age who get the disease must be hospitalized. About 1 in 10 children with pertussis get pneumonia (lung infection), and about 1 in 50 will have convulsions.
More Information
To get more information about Whooping Cough, go here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
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