Health and Fitness

Carney complex is a hereditary condition associated with spotty skin pigmentation; myxomas, which are benign (noncancerous) connective tissue tumors; and a number of other tumors of the endocrine (hormone-producing) glands. Tumors can be benign or cancerous. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms of Carney complex typically develop when a person is in childhood or their early 20s. Skin pigmentation and heart myxomas or other heart problems are usually the first signs of the condition. The spotty skin pigmentation is found on lips, inner and outer corners of the eyes, the conjunctiva (membrane lining) of the eye, and around the genital area. Other common features of Carney complex are Cushing’s syndrome and multiple thyroid nodules (tumors). Cushing’s syndrome in Carney complex is always due to primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD), and symptoms ma...

Overview Atelectasis (at-uh-LEK-tuh-sis) is a complete or partial collapse of the entire lung or area (lobe) of the lung. It occurs when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated or possibly filled with alveolar fluid. Atelectasis is one of the most common breathing (respiratory) complications after surgery. It's also a possible complication of other respiratory problems, including cystic fibrosis, lung tumors, chest injuries, fluid in the lung and respiratory weakness. You may develop atelectasis if you breathe in a foreign object. Atelectasis can make breathing difficult, particularly if you already have lung disease. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of the collapse. SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES If atelectasis affects only a small area of the lungs, you may not have any symptoms. But if it affects larger areas, the lungs cannot fill with enough air, and the oxygen level in your blood may go down. When this happens, uncomfortable symptoms can occur, including: ...

  Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic (inherited) neuromuscular disease that causes muscles to become weak and waste away. People with SMA lose a specific type of nerve cell in the spinal cord (called motor neurons) that control muscle movement. Without these motor neurons, muscles don’t receive nerve signals that make muscles move. The word atrophy is a medical term that means smaller. With SMA, certain muscles become smaller and weaker due to lack of use. Approximately 10,000 to 25,000 children and adults are living with SMA in the United States. It’s a rare disease that affects one out of 6,000 to 10,000 children. A person with SMA inherits two copies of a missing or faulty (mutated) survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. One faulty gene comes from the mother and the other comes from the father. An adult can have a single copy of the defective gene that causes SMA and not know it. About six million Americans (1 in 50) carry the mutated SMN1 gene. These carriers have one hea...

Overview Heatstroke is a condition caused by your body overheating, usually as a result of prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in high temperatures. This most serious form of heat injury, heatstroke, can occur if your body temperature rises to 104 F (40 C) or higher. The condition is most common in the summer months. Heatstroke requires emergency treatment. Untreated heatstroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys and muscles. The damage worsens the longer treatment is delayed, increasing your risk of serious complications or death . Symptoms The hallmark symptom of heat stroke is a core body temperature above 104 F. But fainting may be the first sign. Other symptoms may include: Throbbing headache Dizziness and light-headedness Lack of sweating despite the heat Red, hot, and dry skin Muscle weakness or cramps Nausea and vomiting Rapid heartbeat, which may be either strong or weak Rapid, shallow breathing Behavioral changes such as confusion, disorientation, or staggeri...

Outlook Your child’s pediatrician is your best resource for information about your child’s condition. Their individual outlook can vary depending on the condition’s severity, symptoms, and any complications that result. Many children affected by Canavan disease develop disabilities resulting from issues with their central nervous system. These complications can have an impact on life expectancy. Many children with Canavan disease don’t reach adolescence. There is a mild form of Canavan disease that leads to developmental delays and some other symptoms. Though less common than other forms of the disease, children with this mild type of Canavan disease can often live well into adulthood. Symptoms The symptoms of the disease can vary greatly. Children affected by the condition may not share the same symptoms. Some of the most common symptoms are: larger-than-normal head circumference poor head and neck control reduced visual responsiveness and tracking unusual muscle tone, leading to stif...

Overview Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don't replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated. Anyone may become dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults. The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration. This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections affecting the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration in older adults. Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don't drink enough water during hot weather — especially if you are exercising vigorously. You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration needs immediate medical treatment. ...