Giardiasis

Giardiasis, an illness that affects the digestive tract, is caused by a microscopic parasite called Giardia lamblia. The parasite attaches itself to the lining of the small intestines in humans, where it sabotages the body's absorption of fats and carbohydrates from digested foods. Giardia is one of the chief causes of diarrhea in the United States, and is transmitted through contaminated water. It can survive the normal amounts of chlorine use

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Cough

Chugging cough medicine for an instant high certainly isn't a new practice for teens, who have raided the medicine cabinet for a quick, cheap, and legal high for decades. But unfortunately, this dangerous, potentially deadly practice is on the rise. So it's important for parents to understand the risks and know how to prevent their kids from intentionally overdosing on cough and cold medicine. Why Do Kids Abuse Cough and Cold Remedies? Before

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Scarlet Fever

Scarlet fever is caused by an infection with group A streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria make a toxin (poison) that can cause the scarlet-colored rash from which this illness gets its name. Not all streptococci bacteria make this toxin and not all kids are sensitive to it. Two kids in the same family may both have strep infections, but one child (who is sensitive to the toxin) may develop the rash of scarlet fever while the other may not. Usua

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Polio

Polio (also called poliomyelitis) is a contagious, historically devastating disease that was virtually eliminated from the Western hemisphere in the second half of the 20th century. Although polio has plagued humans since ancient times, its most extensive outbreak occurred in the first half of the 1900s before the vaccination, created by Jonas Salk, became widely available in 1955. At the height of the polio epidemic in 1952, nearly 60,000 case

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Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (popularly known as "TB") is a disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly infects the lungs, although it can affect other organs as well. When someone with untreated TB coughs or sneezes, the air is filled with droplets containing the bacteria. Inhaling these infected droplets is the usual way a person gets TB. One of the most dreaded diseases of the 19th century, TB was the eighth leading cause of death

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Ascariasis

Ascariasis is an intestinal infection caused by a parasitic roundworm. While it is the most common human infection caused by worms in the world, ascariasis is not common in the United States. It occurs in varying prevalence worldwide, with far greater frequency in areas with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Signs and Symptoms Although no symptoms may occur, the greater the number of worms involved in the infestation, the more seve

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Hepatitis

The word hepatitis simply means an inflammation of the liver without pinpointing a specific cause. Someone with hepatitis may: have one of several disorders, including viral or bacterial infection of the liverhave a liver injury caused by a toxin (poison)have liver damage caused by interruption of the organ's normal blood supplybe experiencing an attack by his or her own immune system through an autoimmune disorderhave experienced trauma to the

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Mad Cow Disease

Mad cow disease has been in the headlines in recent years. While a serious illness, it primarily affects cattle and, possibly, other animals, like goats and sheep — the risk to human beings is extremely low. What Is Mad Cow Disease and How Do People Get It? The medical name for mad cow disease is bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE for short. BSE is an incurable fatal brain disease. It is called mad cow disease because it affects a cow's

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Broken Bones

The harder kids play, the harder they fall. The fact is, broken bones, or fractures, are common in childhood and often happen when kids are playing or participating in sports. Most fractures occur in the upper extremities: the wrist, the forearm, and above the elbow. Why? When children fall, it's a natural instinct for them to throw their hands out in an attempt to stop it. Although many kids will have one at some point, a broken bone can be sc

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Tonsillectomy

When the tonsils are removed with a microdebrider, it is called a powered intracapsular tonsillectomy. A microdebrider (pronounced "MI-cro-duh-BREE-der") is a powered instrument that has a very small rotating tip. Typically, traditional tonsillectomy techniques remove the tonsil tissue completely, which exposes the underlying throat muscles to bacteria, thermal injury and inflammation. This is believed to cause the severe pain, slower recovery

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Adenoidectomy

This technique uses a microdebrider (pronounced "MI-cro-duh-BREE-der"), a powered instrument that has a very small rotating tip. It is designed to remove both hard tissue (bone) and soft tissue. Some ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialists began using this device for adenoid removal about eight years ago, and it has several advantages: More effective treatment for chronic ear infections More precise tissue removal and reduced risk Faster

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Tonsilitis

Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils, the fleshy clusters of tissue on both sides of the back of the throat that fight off germs that enter the body through the mouth. The tonsils become enlarged and red, and can be coated with a yellow, gray, or white substance. All forms of tonsillitis are contagious. It usually spreads from person to person by contact with the throat or nasal fluids of someone who is infected. A person with tonsilli

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