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Abusive head trauma, also called shaken baby syndrome (or SBS), goes by many other names, including inflicted traumatic brain injury and shaken impact syndrome. All of these names mean the same thing: an injury to a child’s brain as a result of child abuse. Abusive head trauma (AHT) can be caused by …

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a type of autism. Autism affects how a person interprets language, communicates, and socializes. AS used to be considered its own condition, with its own diagnosis, but that changed in 2013. That’s when the guidebook that doctors use (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, …

Bell’s palsy is a sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of the face that makes it hard for a person to move the mouth, nose, or eyelid. It also can make that side of the face droop or look stiff. Bell’s palsy happens when a facial nerve is not …

When brain cells grow abnormally or out of control, a tumor (a mass of cells) can form. If the tumor puts pressure on certain areas of the brain, it can affect how the body functions. When discovered early enough, brain tumors are usually treatable. Many that are slow-growing are cured with …

Cancers of the brain and nervous system are the most common type of childhood cancer. When discovered early, these cancers often can be cured. There are many different types of brain and nervous system cancers, and doctors categorize them based on where the tumors are, the type of cells involved, …

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills (the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way). CP usually is caused by brain damage that happens before or during a baby’s birth, or during the first 3 to 5 years of a child’s …

Chiari malformation (key-AR-ee mal-fore-MAY-shun) is a condition that causes the cerebellum — the part of the brain that controls coordination and muscle movement — to push into the space normally occupied by the spinal cord. Most kids who have it are born with the condition, but some develop it as they grow. Many …

A concussion is a brain injury that causes temporary changes in the way the brain works. You might think they happen when someone is knocked unconscious while playing sports. But concussions can happen with any head injury, often without a loss of consciousness. We often hear about head injuries in athletes, …

If you have a child with epilepsy, you’re not alone — 3 million Americans have this disorder. Anyone can get epilepsy at any age, but most new diagnoses are in kids. Some kids with epilepsy outgrow their seizures by the time they’re teens. About Epilepsy Epilepsy is a disease of …

Febrile seizures are convulsions that can happen during a fever (febrile means “feverish”). They affect kids 3 months to 6 years old, and are most common in toddlers 12–18 months old. The seizures usually last for a few minutes and are accompanied by a fever above 100.4°F (38°C). While they can …