Health topics
Child health and pediatrics
Medical and developmental conditions in infancy, childhood and adolescence, across several body systems.
Overview
About child health and pediatrics
Health conditions in children may have different presentations, reference ranges and management pathways than in adults. Age, growth, development and family context are important in assessment. Pages here can overlap with infectious, neurologic and genetic topic groups.
Development and genetic conditions
4 references
Cerebral palsy
Condition→Cerebral palsyEvidence-based condition reference.
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DiGeorge syndrome)
Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion causing variable cardiac, palate, immune, calcium, developmental and mental-health manifestations.
Autism spectrum disorder
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition involving differences in social communication and restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior or interests. Autistic p
Huntington disease
Autosomal-dominant HTT neurodegenerative disease affecting movement, cognition and behavior; diagnosis uses genetic testing and care is multidisciplinary.
Childhood infectious and respiratory conditions
4 references
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Highly contagious Bordetella pertussis respiratory infection causing prolonged paroxysmal cough and dangerous apnea in young infants; treated early with antibiotics and prevented by vaccinat
Chickenpox (varicella)
Primary varicella-zoster virus infection causing fever and a pruritic vesicular rash; vaccination prevents most disease and severe complications.
Polio (poliomyelitis)
Highly contagious poliovirus infection; most cases are silent, but rare neurologic infection causes acute flaccid paralysis. Vaccination is the main prevention.
Epiglottitis
Life-threatening inflammation of the epiglottis/supraglottic airway causing severe sore throat, dysphagia, drooling or stridor; airway management is the first priority.
Newborn health indicators
2 references
Apgar score
Standardized 0–10 newborn assessment recorded after birth using heart rate, respiration, tone, reflex response and color; it documents transition but does not independently diagnose asphyxia
Hyperbilirubinemia
Elevated bilirubin from hemolysis, impaired hepatic processing or cholestasis, interpreted using bilirubin fractions and liver-test patterns.
For diagnosis, treatment information and clinical sources, see the individual condition references. This page is a topical directory, not a clinical care guide.