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...

Epilepsy Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and...

Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases Acromegaly Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that results when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone (GH). It most commonly affects middle-aged adults and can result in serious illness and premature...

Psoriasis Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) skin disease of scaling and inflammation that affects 2 to 2.6 percent of the United States population, or between 5.8 and 7.5 million people. Although the disease occurs in all age groups, it...

Rheumatic Fever Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease which may develop after an infection with streptococcus bacteria (such as strep throat or scarlet fever) and can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain. Rheumatic fever is common...

Lyme Disease Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial organism that is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected tick. Most people bitten by an infected tick develop a characteristic skin rash around the area of the bite. The rash may feel...

Lead Poisoning Too much lead in the body can seriously injure the brain, nervous system, red blood cells, and the kidneys. Higher levels of lead in the body can cause mental retardation, fits (convulsions), falling out (unconsciousness, coma),...

Viral Hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Several different viruses cause viral hepatitis. They are named the hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses. All of these viruses cause acute, or short-term, viral hepatitis. The hepatitis B,...