Congenital Hip Dysplasia
What is Congenital Hip Dysplasia? Congenital hip dysplasia, also called congenital dislocated hip, is an abnormality of the hip joint. This abnormality can be relatively minor involving only an unstable…
Category: Birth Defect Fact Sheet
Hydrocephalus
What is Hydrocephalus? Hydrocephalus is a Greek word that means, waterhead. Hydrocephalus is an abnormal build up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain that causes ventricles to enlarge and…
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
What is Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome? A baby with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome has an underdeveloped left ventricle, the heart chamber that pumps blood through the aorta to the entire…
Holoprosencephaly
What is Holoprosencephaly (HPE)? Holoprosencephaly is a serious brain defect that occurs during the first few weeks after conception. In HPE, the forebrain of the developing embryo does not divide…
Hemihypertrophy
What is Hemihypertrophy? Hemihypertrophy is characterized by a greater than normal (5%) difference in size between the right and left sides of the body. The difference can be in only…
Hemangiomas
What are Hemangiomas? Hemangiomas are benign vascular tumors (a collection of tiny blood vessels) that occur in 2 to 3 percent of all infants. Although hemangiomas may not be visible…
Heart Defects
What Are Heart Defects? The heart is a pump made of muscle that is divided into four chambers. Blood is pumped into these chambers through four valves that open and…
Hearing Loss
What Is Hearing Loss? Right from birth, babies explore their new world through sound . . . their mother’s voice, household sounds, noises outside. The stimulation babies receive from the…
Growth Disorders
What Are Growth Disorders? Growth disorders are problems in infants, children, and teenagers that prevent them from attaining realistically expected growth. These disorders include failure to gain height and/or weight in…
Goldenhar Syndrome
What Is Goldenhar Syndrome? Goldenhar Syndrome is a rare birth defect characterized by abnormal prenatal development of the head and face. Common features include missing ears and malformations of the…
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