Alpha thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the body doesn't make as much alpha globin. Alpha globin is a building block of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the part of red blood cell (RBC) ...

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). In some people, HBV stays in the body, causing long-lasting disease and long-term liver problems. The younger someone is when ...

When people talk about the calories in food, what do they mean? A calorie is a unit of measurement — but it doesn't measure weight or length. A calorie is a unit of energy. When you hear something ...

Doctors use certain milestones to tell if a toddler is developing as expected. There's a wide range of what's considered normal, so some children may gain skills earlier or later than others. Toddlers ...

What Is a Cardiac Catheterization? A cardiac catheterization is a procedure that cardiologists (heart doctors) do. They put a catheter (a long, thin tube) into a blood vessel, then guide it the heart.

What Is the Respiratory System? When we breathe, the respiratory system takes in oxygen and sends out carbon dioxide. The cells in our bodies need fresh oxygen to stay alive. As cells do their jobs, ...

What Is the Digestive System? The digestive system breaks down the food we eat into tiny parts to give us fuel and the nutrients we need to live. As food breaks down, we get amino acids from protein, ...

The small intestine is made up of three parts: the duodenum (pronounced: due-uh-DEE-num), the C-shaped first part; the jejunum (pronounced: jih-JU-num), the coiled midsection; the ileum (pronounced: ...

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. People with ADHD have differences in how their brain develops and works. This may cause problems with their attention, ability to sit still, ...

A medical record is a history of someone’s health. Most hospitals and doctor’s offices use electronic health records (EHRs, also called electronic medical records or EMRs). An EHR is a computerized ...

Enteroviruses (en-teh-roe-VY-rus-sez) are a common cause of infection in people of all ages, with symptoms that can range from mild to serious. Most enterovirus infections happen in the summer and ...

to see if other relatives have a bleeding disorder. How Is Von Willebrand Disease Treated? The most common treatment for VWD is desmopressin.This synthetic (manmade) hormone causes a temporary ...