Related Conditions and Treatments
22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (DiGeorge Syndrome)
Condition
22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a genetic condition that causes a combination of medical problems. These problems may include heart defects, cleft palate, speech or feeding problems, difficulty fighting infections, low calcium levels, kidney problems, learning or behavioral issues, and facial differences.
Learn more about 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (DiGeorge Syndrome)
Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Condition
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) involves a brief but intense attack of inflammation (swelling) in the brain and spinal cord that damages the brain's myelin.
Learn more about Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Acute Flaccid Myelitis
Condition
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a neurologic condition that can cause muscle weakness and possible paralysis.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
Condition
In the form of leukemia known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a group of white blood cells called lymphocytes is affected.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Condition
Acute myeloid leukemia, or AML, is a quickly progressing type of blood cancer.
Acute Transverse Myelitis
Condition
Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) involves a brief, intense attack of swelling in the spinal cord that damages myelin.
Angelman Syndrome
Condition
Angelman syndrome is a complex genetic disorder that causes developmental and neurological problems.
Arterial Ischemic Stroke in Children
Condition
An arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) is an injury to the brain or spinal cord caused by a lack of oxygen to the area affected.
Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)
Condition
An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a tangle of arteries and veins in the brain that disrupt the normal flow of blood.
Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)
Condition
Learn more about Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) symptoms and treatments. AVM tissues removed after treatment are being studied by our researchers.
Arthrogryposis
Condition
Arthrogryposis is a term used to describe conditions characterized by stiff joints and abnormally developed muscles.
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Condition
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental issue where people have trouble paying attention and controlling impulses.
Learn more about Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT)
Condition
An atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a very rare, aggressive tumor of the central nervous system.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Condition
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the way your child develops and behaves.
Avulsion Fracture
Condition
Avulsion fractures happen when a bone fragment separates from the rest of the bone.
Birth Defects and Congenital Anomalies
Condition
A birth defect is a health problem or a physical abnormality.
Bone Tumors and Bone Cysts
Condition
Bone tumors and bone cysts are types of abnormal growth within a bone. Most are benign (noncancerous).
Brachial Plexus Birth Injury
Condition
Brachial plexus birth injury is an injury to the brachial plexus nerves that occurs during childbirth.
Brain Aneurysms
Condition
A brain aneurysm is a weak point in a blood vessel within the brain.
Brain Cavernous Malformations
Condition
Learn how Cavernous malformation, a small mass consisting of an abnormally expanded thin-walled blood vessel, is treated at Boston Children Hospital.
Brain Tumors
Condition
Childhood brain tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), but both types can be life-threatening.
Broken Arm
Condition
A broken arm is a crack or break in one or more of the bones in arm. They are often caused by impact injuries.
Broken Elbow
Condition
A broken elbow is a break, at or near the elbow joint, in one or more of the three arm bones that form that joint.
Broken Forearm
Condition
A broken forearm is a break in one (or both) of the bones of the forearm: the radius and/or ulna.
CDKL5 Disorder
Condition
CDKL5 disorder is a rare neurodevelopmental condition that is characterized by early onset epilepsy, low muscle tone, and developmental challenges.
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in Children & Teens
Condition
COVID-19 affects children and families in many different ways.
Camptodactyly
Condition
Camptodactyly is a condition in which a bent finger cannot completely straighten.
Cancer
Condition
Childhood cancer is not a single disease type, but an umbrella group of diseases that include blood cancers, brain tumors, and other solid tumors of the organs, bones, or soft tissues.
Cardiomyopathy in Children
Condition
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle characterized by an abnormally large, thick or stiff heart muscle.
Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Condition
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect muscle tone, posture, and movement as a result of damage to the brain of an infant.
Chiari Malformation
Condition
Chiari malformation is an abnormality in the back of the head where the brain and spinal cord meet.
Chondromas
Condition
Chondromas are benign (not cancerous) tumors made of cartilage that are found mostly in the small bones of the hand and feet.
Cleft Hand
Condition
Cleft hand is a rare hand condition in which the center portion of a child’s hand is underdeveloped.
Clinodactyly
Condition
Clinodactyly means that your child has an abnormally bent or curved finger.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in Children
Condition
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a condition associated with persistent pain in one or more limbs.
Congenital Heart Defects
Condition
A congenital heart defect is a structural problem of the heart that develops during pregnancy.
Congenital Limb Differences
Condition
Congenital limb differences occur when a baby’s arm or leg does not form properly during pregnancy.
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome
Condition
Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare genetic condition that affects development and growth.
Developmental Disabilities
Condition
Developmental delays refer to when developmental skills are at a lower level than expected for a child’s age, such as language, motor, cognition, or play.
Dislocations
Condition
A dislocation happens when extreme force is put on a ligament and the ends of two connected bones separate.
Down Syndrome
Condition
Down syndrome is a genetic condition characterized by developmental delays and learning disability.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
Condition
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of disorders that affect a person's connective tissue.
Encephaloceles
Condition
An encephalocele is a rare birth defect in which the tissue covering the brain, and a portion of the brain itself, protrude through openings in the skull.
Epilepsy in Children
Condition
Epilepsy is a complex condition that makes a child susceptible to seizures.
Ewing Sarcoma
Condition
Ewing sarcoma is a kind of cancer that grows in bones or soft tissues.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Condition
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of abnormalities that occur in babies born to mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy.
Fractures
Condition
A fracture is a break in the bone that occurs when more force is applied to the bone than the bone can withstand.
Fragile X Syndrome
Condition
Fragile X syndrome is a genetic condition that can cause a range of learning and developmental problems.
Genetic Disorders
Condition
Genetic disorders include certain types of birth defects, chronic diseases, developmental problems, and sensory deficits that are inherited from one or both parents.
Growth Plate Fractures
Condition
A growth plate fracture is a fracture that intersects the area of soft cartilage where bone growth takes place.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Condition
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) occurs when the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system.
Head or Brain Injury
Condition
Head injury is a broad term that describes many different types of conditions — ranging from bumps and bruises to concussions, skull fractures, and serious brain injuries.
Heart Failure
Condition
Heart failure in children occurs when a child’s heart is not working as well as it should.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Condition
A hemorrhagic stroke is the result of bleeding in the brain.
Hydrocephalus
Condition
Hydrocephalus is extra fluid in or around the brain.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
Condition
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a spectrum of heart diseases in which the left-heart structures are underdeveloped.
Infantile Spasms
Condition
Infantile spasms, sometimes called West syndrome, are a type of seizure that occurs in babies.
Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)
Condition
Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is bleeding inside or around the ventricles — spaces in the brain that contain the cerebral spinal fluid.
Juvenile Arthritis
Condition
Juvenile arthritis isn’t one condition, but is the general name for many types of arthritis that can occur in children.
Kabuki Syndrome
Condition
Kabuki syndrome is a rare congenital disorder.
Krabbe Disease
Condition
Krabbe disease is when an abnormal accumulation of fat molecules affects the cells in the nervous system.
Learning Disorders and Disabilities
Condition
“Learning disorder” and “specific learning disability” refer to a neurodevelopmental problem in which a child of normal intellectual potential is encountering unusual difficulty with their academic functioning that cannot be explained by inadequate educational opportunity or emotional or sensory disabilities.
Leukemia
Condition
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer. It develops in the bone marrow and is the most common form of cancer in children.
Limb Length Discrepancy
Condition
A limb-length discrepancy is when one leg or arm is shorter than the other leg or arm.
Little League Elbow
Condition
Little League elbow is an injury of the tendons, ligaments, or bones of a young athlete’s elbow.
Meningitis
Condition
Meningitis is a bacterial or viral infection that causes three thin layers of tissue that surround the brain and the spinal cord to swell.
Microcephaly
Condition
In microcephaly, the brain develops abnormally, causing the head to be much smaller than expected for the child's age.
Movement Disorders
Condition
Children with movement disorders have involuntary movements or trouble moving in the way they intend to.
Moyamoya Disease
Condition
Moyamoya is a rare condition in which the blood vessels (internal carotid arteries) that supply blood to the brain become narrowed.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Condition
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is when the body's immune system reacts against the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
Condition
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), also called pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome temporally related to SARS CoV-2 (PMIS or PIMS-TS), is a potentially serious illness in children that appears to be a delayed, post-infectious complication of COVID-19 infection.
Learn more about Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
Muscle Weakness (Hypotonia)
Condition
Hypotonia is decreased muscle tone.
Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
Condition
Muscular dystrophy is a general name for a group of rare diseases that cause muscle weakness. It is caused by mutations in certain genes.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
Condition
Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a term for a group of problems a baby experiences when withdrawing from exposure to narcotics.
Neonatal Stroke
Condition
Neonatal stroke is stroke in newborns between birth and 28 days.
Nervous System Disorders
Condition
Nervous system disorders can involve a range of conditions that may be chronic or may be triggered by secondary factors.
Neuroblastoma
Condition
Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor that begins in nerve tissue of young children.
Neurofibromatosis
Condition
Neurofibromatosis 1 is a genetic condition that causes symptoms including tumors (called neurofibromas) formed from nerve tissue.
Neurofibromatosis Type 2
Condition
Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a genetic disorder that causes slow-growing tumors to develop on the eighth cranial nerve.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Condition
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is characterized by fragile bones that break easily without a specific cause.
Osteosarcoma
Condition
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer among children, adolescents, and young adults.
Overuse Injuries
Condition
Overuse injuries are sports-related microtraumas that result from repetitively using the same parts of the body.
PICU Up!™
Treatment
PICU Up!™ is an early mobility program that aims to improve the health and well-being of children in intensive care.
Pediatric Fibromyalgia and Musculoskeletal Pain
Condition
Fibromyalgia is when pain is being set off by things that feel painless to most people — getting a friendly pat on the back, for instance.
Learn more about Pediatric Fibromyalgia and Musculoskeletal Pain
Pediatric and Childhood Cancers
Condition
While childhood cancer is a potentially life-threatening condition requiring intensive treatment, the majority of pediatric cancers are treatable.
Peripheral Nerve Injury
Condition
Peripheral nerve injuries interfere with signals between the brain and other parts of the body.
Periventricular Leukomalacia
Condition
Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a type of brain injury most common in very premature babies.
Polydactyly
Condition
Polydactyly is a condition in which a baby is born with one or more extra fingers.
Pompe Disease
Condition
Pompe disease is caused by a genetic mutation that causes a buildup of complex sugars in the body’s tissues.
Prematurity
Condition
A baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered premature. Slightly fewer than 12 percent of all babies are premature.
Relapsed or Refractory Neuroblastoma
Condition
Relapsed neuroblastoma is when neuroblastoma returns in patients who have already undergone treatment for the disease. Refractory neuroblastoma is when the tumor does not respond to initial treatment.
Rett Syndrome
Condition
Rett syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes a loss of spoken language and motor skills, as well as behavioral and neurological problems.
Sanfilippo Syndrome
Condition
Sanfilippo syndrome (aka mucopolysaccharidosis type III (MPS III)) is a rare, inherited disorder that's classified as a lysosomal storage disorder (LSD).
Sickle Cell Disease
Condition
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder where cells cluster together, making it difficult for them to move through small blood vessels, thus denying oxygen to the blood.
Skeletal Dysplasia
Condition
Skeletal dysplasia is a category of rare genetic disorders that cause abnormal development of a baby’s bones, joints, and cartilage.
Spinal Cord Injury
Condition
A spinal cord injury is any damage to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma, rather than a birth defect or medical condition.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
Condition
Spinal muscular atrophy is when muscles throughout the body are weakened because nerve cells in the spinal cord and brainstem do not work properly.
Sprains and Strains
Condition
Sprains are ligament injuries resulting from wrenching or twisting a joint. Strains are injuries to a muscle or tendon.
Stress Fractures
Condition
A stress fracture is a tiny crack that forms in the bone, usually as a result of overuse or repetitive, stress-bearing motions.
Stroke in Children
Condition
Stroke is a general term that is used to describe an injury to the brain caused by either bleeding (referred to as hemorrhagic stroke) or a lack of oxygen due to vessel obstruction (referred to as ischemic stroke).
Tennis Elbow
Condition
Tennis elbow is an injury to the tendons attaching the forearm muscles to the outer part of the elbow.
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
Condition
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a serious congenital heart defect where the heart’s anatomy prevents enough oxygen-poor (blue) blood from flowing to the lungs to receive oxygen.
Thumb Duplication (Pre-Axial Polydactyly)
Condition
Children with thumb duplication have two thumbs on one hand.
Thumb Hypoplasia and Aplasia
Condition
Thumb hypoplasia means that your child’s thumb is unusually small or underdeveloped. Thumb aplasia means that your child’s thumb is missing altogether.
Toileting Issues
Condition
Toileting difficulties include inability/refusal to toilet train, constipation, encopresis, daytime wetting, and bedwetting.
Trigger Thumb
Condition
Trigger thumb refers to a thumb that catches, locks, or gets stuck in a flexed position.
Trisomies and Monosomies
Condition
A trisomy and a monosomy are types of numerical chromosome abnormalities that can cause certain birth defects.
Williams Syndrome
Condition
Williams syndrome is a rare developmental disorder that can affect many parts of the body, including the heart and blood vessels.