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) ...

We've all had cuts and scrapes that we can take care of at home. But what about more serious wounds — the kind that involve stitches or a hospital stay? The deeper, larger, or dirtier a wound is, the ...

Some kids get UTIs again and again — these are called recurrent UTIs. If they're not treated, recurrent UTIs can cause kidney damage, especially in kids younger than 6. So it's important to know how ...

Take care of yourself and your growing family by getting the advice that all new parents and parents-to-be need. Read about babyproofing your home, staying healthy during pregnancy, coping with colic, ...

What Does the Endocrine System Do? If you ever wondered what your endocrine system (the system that produces hormones) does, this movie has the answers!

A cochlear implant is a surgically placed device that helps a person with severe hearing loss hear sounds. The cochlea is a snail-shaped part of the inner ear. It turns sound vibrations into ...

We see and hear about hearts everywhere. A long time ago, people even thought that their emotions came from their hearts, maybe because the heart beats faster when a person is scared or excited. Now ...

To help your child get ready for a blood test, find out if they need to fast (not eat or drink) or should stop taking medicines before the test. Explain what to expect during the test. If your child ...

Few parents ever imagine that their child will grow up to do drugs, but drug usage among kids and teens is a stark reality. Drugs are everywhere — from big cities to small towns — and are used by ...

How Does Air Enter the Respiratory System? Air enters the respiratory system through the nose or the mouth. If it goes in the nostrils (also called nares), the air is warmed and humidified. Tiny hairs ...

You know how important your heart is, so it's no wonder people worry when they hear someone has heart problems. Heart disease, also called cardiovascular (say: kar-dee-oh-VAS-kyoo-lur) disease, mainly ...

Click through this slideshow to learn more about the kidneys and urinary tract. The bean-shaped kidneys filter waste products out of the bloodstream and dispose of them by creating urine. Urine is ...