Hepatitis B Vaccinations

At birth, infants have protection against certain diseases because antibodies have passed through the placenta from the mother to the unborn child. After birth, breastfed babies get the continued benefits of additional antibodies in breast milk. But in both cases, the protection is temporary. Immunization (vaccination) is a way of creating immunity to certain diseases by using small amounts of a killed or weakened microorganism that causes the

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Thalassemias

What Are Thalassemias? Thalassemias are genetic disorders that involve the decreased and defective production of hemoglobin, a molecule found inside all red blood cells (RBCs) that transports oxygen throughout the body. As frightening as thalassemias can be, the outlook is encouraging. In the past 20 years, new therapies have greatly improved the quality of life and life expectancy in kids who have these diseases. Thee two types of thalassemi

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Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder in which red blood cells (RBCs) are abnormally shaped. This abnormality can result in painful episodes, serious infections, chronic anemia, and damage to body organs. These complications can, however, vary from person to person depending on the type of sickle cell disease each has. Some people are relatively healthy and others are hospitalized frequently. But thanks to advancements in early diagnosi

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Port Wine Stains

About Port-Wine Stains About 3 out of every 1,000 kids are born with a port-wine stain — a birthmark that literally looks like maroon wine was spilled or splashed on the skin. Though they often start out looking pink at birth, port-wine stains tend to become darker (usually reddish-purple or dark red) as kids grow. Port-wine stains (also known as nevus flammeus) can be anywhere on the body but most commonly are found on the face, neck, scalp,

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Mitral Valve Prolapse

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a very common heart condition, occurs when one of the heart's valves doesn't work properly. MVP can be frightening because it involves the heart and can cause sharp chest pains, but it isn't a critical heart problem or a sign of other serious medical conditions. Because MVP often doesn't produce any symptoms or interfere with everyday life, in many cases it isn't diagnosed until adulthood. But with kids who are diag

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