This is a general outline of the milestones on the road to reading success. Keep in mind that kids develop at different paces and spend varying amounts of time at each stage. If you have concerns, ...

What Is an Atrial Septal Defect? An atrial septal defect (ASD) — sometimes called a hole in the heart — is a type of congenital heart defect in which there is an abnormal opening in the dividing wall ...

What Does the Heart Do? The heart is a pump, usually beating about 60 to 100 times per minute. With each heartbeat, the heart sends blood throughout our bodies, carrying oxygen to every cell. After ...

What Is a Fish Allergy? A fish allergy is not exactly the same as a seafood allergy. Seafood includes fish (like tuna or cod) and shellfish (like lobster or clams). Even though they both fall into the ...

Just about every guy wonders how he measures up "down-there." Here's the lowdown for any guy who's ever worried about whether his penis is a normal size. There is a wide range of normal penis sizes.

When blood glucose levels (called blood sugar levels) drop too low, it's called hypoglycemia. For people with diabetes, hypoglycemia (hi-poe-gly-SEE-me-uh) happens when blood sugar levels fall below ...

What Are the Urinary Tract & Kidneys? The urinary tract (or, urinary system) is one of the systems that our bodies use to get rid of waste products. Organs called the kidneys are the part of the ...

Testicular torsion is an emergency condition. It happens when the spermatic cord, which provides blood flow to the testicle, rotates and becomes twisted. The twisting cuts off the testicle's blood ...

Do All Kids Have Fears and Worries? It's normal for children to feel afraid or worried at times. These feelings can help kids be cautious. Things that are new, big, loud, or different can seem scary ...

Why Do Painful Leg Cramps Sometimes Happen During Pregnancy? Many pregnant women get lower leg cramps, often in the middle of the night in their second and third trimesters. Experts aren't sure what ...

Trimming your little one's nails can be a bit scary, especially at first. But keeping nails short is important to your baby's safety. Because they lack muscle control, infants can easily scratch and ...

What Is a VP Shunt? A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is a thin plastic tube that helps drain extra cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain. CSF is the saltwater that surrounds and cushions the brain ...