What is spinal muscular atrophy? Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a group of hereditary diseases that progressively destroys motor neurons—nerve cells in the brain stem and spinal cord that control essential skeletal muscle activity such as...
Osteoporosis Osteoporosis Overview Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures of the hip, spine,...
Osteogenesis Impefecta Definition Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by bones that break easily, often from little or no apparent cause. There are at least four recognized forms of the disorder, representing...
Paget's Disease of Bone What is Paget's disease of bone? Paget's disease is a chronic disorder that typically results in enlarged and deformed bones. The excessive breakdown and formation of bone tissue that occurs with Paget's disease can...
Spina Bifida Table of Contents What is Spina Bifida? Is there any treatment? What is the prognosis? What research is being done? Organizations What is Spina Bifida? Spina bifida (SB) is a neural tube defect (a disorder involving incomplete...
Table of Contents Introduction What is Cerebral Palsy? What Other Medical Disorders? What Causes Cerebral Palsy? What are the Risk Factors? What Are the Early Signs? How is Cerebral Palsy Diagnosed? How is Cerebral Palsy Managed? What Specific...
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus What is Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus? Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is an abnormal increase of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain's ventricles, or cavities. It occurs if the normal flow of CSF throughout...
What is Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy is an umbrella-like term used to describe a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. The disorders are...
Comprehensive Overview of Specific Learning Disabilities What are Learning Disabilities? Learning disability is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning...
Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) Not until the middle of the twentieth century was there a name for a disorder that now appears to affect an estimated one of every five hundred children, a disorder that causes...