Kawasaki disease is primarily a childhood disease that is also known as Kawasaki syndrome or mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, according to the American Heart Association. Over four thousand Americans are affected each year, and 80 percent of all...
Everything you eat contributes one way or another to the proper functioning of your body. Your food choices can even affect how your blood is able to carry oxygen and supply it to your body. The hemoglobin molecule works by ridding your body of...
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that resides in the lower portion of the neck below the voice box or larynx. It releases two hormones called T3 and T4, which are responsible for controlling the body’s metabolism. The thyroid does...
The pituitary gland is a bean shaped, hormone secreting gland found at the base of the brain. It produces some hormones and regulates the production of hormones by other endocrine-- hormone producing-- glands. The hormones produced by the...
Amyloid proteins are abnormal types of protein. They are produced by cells in the bone marrow and when they build up and get deposited in tissues or organs, amyloidosis takes place. The parts of the body most affected by this disease include the...
Doxil (doxorubicin HCL liposome injection) is an anthracycline agent used to treat ovarian cancer and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. Doxil is a drug used for chemotherapy. It is typically administered every four weeks. The Food and Drug...
Weight fluctuations are a normal part of physical development for teenagers. When weight gain is severe, sudden or accompanies additional symptoms, an underlying medical condition may exist. Unexpected weight gain in teenagers may develop as a...
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the plasma cells (a type of white blood cell) in bone marrow. Normal plasma cells make antibodies to fight off infection; however, in those with multiple myeloma, plasma cells form tumors in bone...
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the lower portion of the neck, below the voice box, or larynx. It releases two hormones, T3 and T4, which are responsible for controlling the body’s metabolism. The thyroid does not release T3...
The condition that children sometimes develop that causes swallowing problems is called dysphagia and can occur at various times in the swallowing process. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, toddlers can experience the...
Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is needed to maintain adequate function of the nervous system and also for the productions of red blood cells or cells of the blood that carry oxygen. Vitamin B12 is also involved in the chemical reactions of the cell;...
Amyloidosis is a rare and potentially deadly condition in which abnormal proteins build up in your organs, which can lead to organ failure. These abnormal proteins, called amyloid proteins, do not come from an excess of protein in the diet, but...
The pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland at the base of the brain, controls the release of growth hormone into the body. If too much growth hormone is released, usually because of a noncancerous tumor in the pituitary, abnormal bone growth occurs,...
The thyroid gland is located in the front portion of the neck and makes a hormone called thyroxine, or T4. This hormone plays an integral role in the development and growth of children. Any disorder that affects this gland, interferes with its...
Amyloidosis and lupus are two different chronic diseases, but they both affect many different tissues and organs. The most common forms of amyloidosis and lupus are associated with abnormal antibodies. Exact causes or cures for neither amyloidosis...
The kidneys normally function by pulling excess acid from the blood and eliminating it from the body through urination. Distal renal tubular acidosis, also known as Type I RTA, is a disease that occurs when the kidney's tubes fail and do not allow...
There are many diseases that are exclusive to children. Some diseases occur only in newborns and infants, while some develop in young children only. Among these are various types of tumors and inflammation. Children with these kind of serious...
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is an essential vitamin involved in protein metabolism. Deficiency, which is rare, can be induced by the tuberculosis drug isoniazid and manifests as an enlarged and painful tongue. Vitamin B6 toxicity is also...
Low thyroid function, also known as hypothyroidism, may cause widespread symptoms throughout your body. Located beneath your Adam's apple, your thyroid gland produces hormones which increase the metabolism of every active cell in your body....
Several diseases are associated with low selenium diets, or selenium deficiency. According to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium is a trace mineral that is important for your overall health. Selenium, which...
Fastpitch and slowpitch softball share similar traits. Both sports share a general game structure similar to baseball. However, the two sports differ in their rule structure, and can also differ in the equipment used. For example, a fastpitch...
People who develop bacterial infections of the ear, skin, lungs, urinary tract or sinuses may experience relief from uncomfortable symptoms following treatment with Augmentin. Augmentin is a prescription medication that contains two active...
Anemia is condition where there are fewer red blood cells than normal, either from destruction of red blood cells, low production of cells or blood loss. Anemia is often associated with iron deficiency, but can sometimes indicate severe illnesses....
Iron deficiency can cause a reduction in the number of red blood cells in your body and is the most common cause of anemia. Iron deficiency anemia may be caused by four distinct factors, including diets lacking in iron, body changes,...
You get iron from fortified foods such as cereal, grits and bread, but also naturally from both plant and animal food sources. Plant foods such as legumes, cashews, raisins, prunes, potatoes, walnuts and green beans provide nonheme iron. Nonheme...
The proper production of red blood cells relies on the presence of adequate amounts of various nutrients, including vitamin B-12 and iron, in your body. A lack of vitamin B-12 or iron means you do not have enough of the nutrients to create healthy...
Iron is a mineral necessary for the formation of hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron is also necessary for proper food digestion and is an essential component of many cell functions. An...
Mumps is a childhood disease that is rarely seen in the twenty-first century. The vaccine for mumps was approved for use in the United States in 1967 and is routinely given as the "MMR" (measles, mumps and rubella) immunization at well-baby...
Hypothyroidism refers to when the thyroid gland, which is responsible for producing hormones that control growth and metabolism, is underactive. Women develop hypothyroidism more often than men; the risk of hypothyroidism increases as people age...
