Health Library A to Z

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• Anencephaly in Children
Anencephaly is a birth defect that affects the brain and skull bones. With this condition, the brain isn't fully formed. It often lacks part or all of the cerebrum.

• Birth Defects in Newborn Babies
Birth defects may be caused by inherited (genetic) problems or by environmental things such as exposure to certain toxic substances during pregnancy. Some birth defects can be linked to a direct cause. Other reasons are not as clear.

• Care of the Baby in the Delivery Room
A newborn baby is wet from the amniotic fluid and can easily become cold. Drying the baby and using warm blankets and heat lamps can help prevent heat loss. Often a knitted hat is placed on the baby's head.

• Cuts and Wounds of the Nose
Most minor nose wounds can be handled at home, but a wound or bruise that also involves one or both eyes needs immediate medical attention.

• Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in Newborns
CMV (cytomegalovirus) is a herpes virus. It is very common. It affects people of all ages and in all parts of the U.S. In most cases CMV causes mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all. But it can cause serious problems in an unborn baby or newborn.

• Equipment That Is Used in the NICU
NICUs are equipped with complex machines and devices to monitor nearly every system of a baby's body--temperature, heart rate, breathing, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and blood pressure.

• Eye Medicine and Vitamin K Injection for Newborns
Newborn babies routinely receive eye medicine and vitamin K injections soon after birth. Both prevent serious conditions.

• Fever in a Newborn Baby
The system that controls body temperature is not well developed in a newborn. Here's what you need to know about fever and your baby.

• Gastrointestinal Problems
If your baby seems fussy and you've fed and changed him, he may have an upset stomach or colic. But don't worry, there are lots of things you can do to make your little one more comfortable and keep both of you calm.

• Hearing Screening Tests for Newborns
Today nearly all newborns are screened for hearing loss. Here's a look at why, and the types of screening tests that are done.

• Keeping Your Baby Warm
Premature and low-birth-weight babies may be too immature to regulate their own temperature, even in a warm environment. Read on to learn how to safely keep them warm.

• N95 Masks: A Must-Have With Omicron, But Fakes Abound

• Nap at Preschool May Boost Tots' Learning

• Narcissists Are Blind to Their Own Mistakes

• Narcissist's 'Thin Skin' Can Easily Lead to Aggression

• Narcolepsy Drug Doesn't Raise Odds for Birth Defects: Study

• Narrow Hallways Ideal for Coronavirus Spread: Study

• Nasal Spray COVID Vaccine Shows Promise in Animal Trials

• Natal Teeth
Natal teeth are teeth that are present when a baby is born. The teeth are often not fully developed and may have a weak root.

• Nature Helped Many Kids Cope During Lockdown: Study

• Navy Ship Outbreak Shows Most Young Aren't Spared COVID Symptoms

• NBA Players to Assess New Coronavirus Test

• NBA Study Shows Post-COVID Viral Transmission Rare, Even With Positive Test

• Neanderthal Poop Provides Clues to  Modern Humans' 'Microbiome'

• Nearly 1 in 3 U.S. Hospital Personnel Still Unvaccinated

• Nearly 10% of Younger Kids Have Gotten First COVID Vaccine Dose

• Nearly 130,000 U.S. Lives Saved by March if Everyone Wore Masks: Study

• Nearly 200,000 COVID Home Tests Recalled Over False Positives

• Nearly 3 in 10 U.S. Adults Say They Have a Disability

• Nearly 400 Crashes Tied to Self-Driving, Driver-Assist Technologies Since Last Summer

• Nearly 59,000 Meatpacking Workers Caught COVID, While 269 Died: Report

• Nearly 600,000 U.S. Kids Had COVID Last Week

• Nearly 7% of U.S. Kids Have Had a Head Injury or Concussion

• Nearly 8 in 10 School, Child Care Staff Have Gotten at Least 1 Dose of COVID Vaccine: CDC

• Nearly 900,000 U.S. Kids Under 12 Have Gotten Their First COVID Shot

• Nearly a Third of Young Black Americans Have High Blood Pressure

• Nearly All Americans Who Got First COVID Shot Are Are Getting Their Second

• Nearly All Seniors Take Meds That Raise Their Odds of Falling

• Nearly Half of Americans Gained Weight in Pandemic's First Year

• Nearly Half of Americans Want COVID Vaccine ASAP, Numbers Rising Since December: Poll

• Nearly Half of Coronavirus Infections May Be Asymptomatic

• Nearly Half of Teens Get Behind the Wheel Shortly After a Concussion

• Nearly Half of U.S. Breast Cancer Patients Use Pot or CBD; Many Don't Tell Doctors

• Nearly Half of U.S. Veterans Cited 'Personal Growth' During Pandemic: Survey

• Neck Masses
Detailed information on the different types of neck masses in children

• Necklace Spots A-Fib in Just Over 30 Seconds

• Necrotizing Enterocolitis in the Newborn
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious illness in newborns. It happens when tissue in the large intestine (colon) gets inflamed. This inflammation damages and sometimes kills the tissue in your baby’s colon.

• Need a New Liver? Your Survival Odds May Depend on Race

• Need a Pill to Help You Sleep? You're Far From Alone, Survey Finds

• Need an At-Home COVID Test? Here's Help Finding and Using One

• Need an IV or Stitches? Virtual Reality or Hypnosis Might Ease Pain

• Need an Operation? Here's How COVID Has Changed Surgery

• Need Better Sleep? Get a Partner

• Need to Pee? Scientists May Have Found the Gene for That

• Negative COVID Test May Be Required After 5 Day's Isolation Among Asymptomatic

• Neighborhood Gun Violence Means Worse Mental Health for Kids

• Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Neonatal abstinence syndrome is what happens when babies are exposed to drugs in the uterus before birth. Babies can then go through drug withdrawal after birth.

• Nephrotic Syndrome in Children
Nephrotic syndrome is a problem where too much protein called albumin is released from the body into the urine. It means that one or both kidneys are damaged.

• Nerve Drug Might Curb Spinal Cord Damage, Mouse Study Suggests

• Nerve Gas Sarin Probably Caused Gulf War Syndrome

• Nerve-Cooling Implant Could Ease Pain Without Opioids

• Nerves May Play Important Role in Autism

• Nervous About Returning to Work? Take Precautions Against Coronavirus

• Neuro Surprise: Some Brain Skills Might Improve With Age

• Neuro Symptoms of Long COVID May Persist for Months

• Neuroblastoma
Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor. It grows in nerve tissue of babies and young children. The cancer cells grow in young nerve cells of a baby growing in the womb. These cells are called neuroblasts. It’s is the most common cancer in babies under age 1. It’s rare in children older than age 10.

• Neurocutaneous Syndromes in Children
Neurocutaneous syndromes are disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, organs, skin, and bones. The diseases are lifelong conditions that can cause tumors to grow in these areas. They can also cause other problems such as hearing loss, seizures, and developmental problems.

• Neurodevelopmental Issues Double in Babies Exposed to COVID in Womb: Study

• Neurogenic Bladder in Children
Neurogenic bladder means the bladder doesn't work normally because of nerve damage. It causes a child to have problems with holding or releasing urine.

• Neurological Conditions and Pregnancy
Detailed information on neurologic conditions in pregnancy

• Neurological Disorders in the Newborn
Detailed information on the most common neurological disorders in the newborn

• Neurological Exam for Children
Is it time for your baby to have a full physical exam? Your pediatrician might want to conduct a "neuro exam." Don't worry, this series of tests designed to evaluate your child's nervous system is painless. Here's what it entails.

• Neurologists' Group Issues New Treatment Guidelines for Early Parkinson's

• Neuromuscular Disorders
Detailed information on the most common neuromuscular disorders in children

• New Advice for Blood Pressure That's a Bit Too High

• New ALS Drug Approved in Canada While Still Under FDA Review

• New Alzheimer's Drug Delivers Disappointing Results

• New Approach Allows Safe Transplant of Kidneys Tainted by Hepatitis C

• New Approach Cuts Odds for Anal Cancer in People With HIV

• New BA.2 COVID Subvariant Taking Hold in United States

• New Blood Test May Improve Liver Cancer Screening

• New CDC Guidelines May Have Made Opioid Prescribing Safer

• New Clues to How Cancers Originate in the Brain

• New Clues to How Ovarian Cancer Begins -- and Might Be Prevented

• New Clues to Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Young Kids

• New Clues to What Triggers Dangerous Syndrome in Kids With COVID

• New Clues to Why Disability Strikes People With MS

• New Combo Immunotherapy Prolongs Survival in Patients With Advanced Kidney Cancer

• New Coronavirus Can Also Infect Cells in the Mouth

• New Coronavirus Can Infect Your Eyes as Well as Your Lungs

• New Coronavirus Strain More Contagious, Scientists Say

• New Coronavirus Variant Out of Brazil Now in 5 U.S. States

• New COVID Cases Double in U.S. in Past Three Weeks

• New COVID Cases Were 300% Higher This Labor Day Weekend Than Last Year

• New COVID-19 Tracking App May Find 'Hotspots' Across America

• New Data Details Dangers of Delta Variant, Even for the Vaccinated

• New Data Shows the Power of COVID Vaccines

• New Device Might Spot 'Lazy Eye' in Kids Earlier

• New Dietary Guidelines for Americans Ignore Recommendations on Sugar, Alcohol

• New Drug a Good Treatment Option for Severe Asthma in Kids

• New Drug Combo Boosts Survival Against Aggressive Form of Breast Cancer

• New Drug Combo Could Be Advance Against Uterine Fibroids

• New Drug Could Extend Life for People With ALS

• New Drug Halves Death Rate in Those With Severe COVID, Maker Claims

• New Drug May Be Better Psoriasis Treatment

• New Drug May Beat Older One at Preventing MS Relapse

• New Drug May Ease Tourette Tics in Kids, Teens

• New Drug Might Be Non-Surgical Option for Common Skin Cancers

• New Drug Shows Real Promise Against Celiac Disease

• New First Look at the Tiniest Babies' Lungs

• New Genetic Insights Into Cause of ALS

• New Guidelines Say No to Probiotics for Digestive Woes

• New Hope Against a Rare but Incurable Eye Cancer

• New Hope Against Diseases Marked by Progressive Scarring of Lung Tissue

• New Hope for IBD Patients

• New Hope for Relief From Peanut Allergy in Kids

• New Hormonal Pill May Boost Outcomes for Older Breast Cancer Patients

• New Insights Into How COVID-19 Damages the Brain

• New Insights Into How Eating Disorders Alter the Brain

• New Insights Into What Might Drive Parkinson's Disease

• New Insights Into Why Alzheimer's Can Bring Drowsiness

• New Insights Into Why Asthma Worsens at Night

• New Law Allows FDA to Police E-Cigs Made With Synthetic Nicotine

• New Law Expands Care for Rape Victims

• New Leash on Life: How Dog-Walking Is Helping Veterans Battered by PTSD

• New Links Between Poor Sleep, Diabetes and Death

• New Malaria Treatment Gets First Approval for Use in Children

• New MRI Technique Might Help Spot MS Sooner

• New 'Mu' Coronavirus Variant Being Watched Closely: Fauci

• New Omicron Subvariant Causing COVID-19 Spike in South Africa

• New Polio Vaccine Promising in Early Test

• New Research Shows COVID Vaccines Still Protect Against Severe Disease

• New Review Claims First COVID Patient was Wuhan Market Vendor

• New Study Examines Sexuality of People With Autism

• New Study Sheds Doubt on Notion Kids Aren't COVID-19 Spreaders

• New Thyroid Eye Disease Treatment Could Harm Hearing

• New Tick-Borne Virus Is Spreading Across U.S.

• New Treatment Fights Rare Cases of Vaccine-Linked Blood Clots

• New Treatment Greatly Boosts Survival for Kids With Aggressive Brain Cancer

• New Treatment May Curb Low Blood Sugar in Kids With Insulin Disorder

• New Treatments Battle Advanced Breast Cancers

• New Tricks to Turn Your Fussy Eater Around

• New U.S. Coronavirus Cases Hit Another High

• New U.S. COVID Vaccinations Climb for the Longest Stretch in Months

• New Variants Mean COVID Vaccines, Tests May Need Tweaking: FDA

• New Way to Blast Kidney Stones Can Be Done in Doctor's Office

• New Weight-Loss Drug Looks Good in Trial

• New Weight-Loss Program Shows Promise Among Low-Income Americans

• New White House Website Speeds Access to Free COVID Care

• New Worry: 'Flurona,' When COVID Meets the Flu

• New Year, New Tips for Keeping Your Kids Safe and Healthy

• New Year's Resolution? Here's How to Make it Stick

• New York Reports 5 Omicron Cases, U.S. Total Rises to 9

• New Zealand Aims for Zero Smokers in a Generation: Could Plan Work Elsewhere?

• New, Tighter COVID Rules Coming for Oregon

• Newbies More Apt to Have Bad Reaction to Marijuana: Study

• Newborn Complications
Detailed information on the most common types of newborn complications

• Newborn Health Assessment
Detailed information on newborn health assessments

• Newborn May Have Contracted Coronavirus in the Womb: Report

• Newborn Measurements
Your newborn will be weighed in the hospital and at all check-ups. In most cases, metric units are used to record babies' weight. This chart will help you convert the metric unit grams (g) to pounds (lb) and ounces (oz).

• Newborn Multiples
Because many multiples are small and born early, they may be initially cared for in a special care nursery called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

• Newborn Screening Tests
A national program exists to screen all newborns for certain disorders in the first few days of life.

• Newborn Warning Signs
Most newborns adjust well to the outside world. But it's helpful to know about these warning signs that could indicate a possible problem.

• Newborns of Moms With COVID-19 Face Little Infection Risk: Study

• Newborns With COVID-19 May Suffer Only Mild Symptoms, Study Says

• Newborns Won't Get COVID Through Infected Mom's Breast Milk: Study

• Newer Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug May Help Ease Tough-to-Treat Cases

• Newer Sunscreens Can Better Match Your Skin Tone

• Newly Approved Drug Fights Lung Cancer Tied to Certain Genes

• NFL Players Face 4 Times the Odds of ALS

• Nightmares and Night Terrors
A night terror is a partial waking from sleep with behaviors such as screaming, kicking, panic, sleep walking, thrashing, or mumbling.

• Nightmares Can Sometimes Warn of Parkinson's Onset

• NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins to Retire by Year's End

• NIH Halts Trial of Convalescent Plasma for Mild COVID-19

• NIH Launches $500 Million Contest to Produce Best COVID-19 Test

• NIH Spending Nearly $470 Million on Long-Haul COVID Study

• NIH Starts Trial Looking at Rare Allergic Reactions to COVID Vaccines

• Nitrogen Dioxide, a Car Exhaust Pollutant, Is Raising Death Rates: Study

• No Change in Adolescent Drug, Alcohol Use During Pandemic

• No Change in Recent Decades in Infertility Rate for Women

• No Drop in Teens' Use of Pot, Binge Drinking Despite Pandemic Lockdowns

• No Evidence Breastfeeding Can Transmit Coronavirus

• No Evidence Coronavirus Spreads Through Food or Food Packaging: FDA

• No Evidence Marijuana Raises Stroke Risk

• No Evidence Muscle Relaxants Can Ease Low Back Pain

• No 'Fall Back'? Sleep Experts Argue Against Daylight Standard Time

• No Genetic Damage to Kids of Those Exposed to Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster: Study

• No Good Evidence on Accuracy of Coronavirus Antibody Tests: Study

• No Good Evidence Weight Loss Supplements Work: Study

• No Gym Required: How Seniors Can Exercise During Lockdown

• No Hams: Pigs Show Their Smarts in Complex Experiments

• No Health Issues for Babies Born to Women Who Had COVID in Pregnancy

• No 'Last Goodbye' for Cello: 5-Hour Surgery Saved Dog's Life

• No Lasting Damage to Lungs After COVID in Young Patients: Study

• No Lasting Lung Damage After Full Recovery From COVID-19

• No Link Between Antidepressants in Pregnancy, Epilepsy in Children

• No Link Found Between Blood Pressure Meds and Cancer: Study

• No Link Seen Between COVID, Guillain-Barré Syndrome

• No Rise in Global Suicide Rate in First Months of Pandemic

• No Sense of Smell After COVID? Therapies Can Help Bring It Back

• No Side Effects From Your COVID Vaccine? Don't Worry, It's Still Working

• No Sign 1 Year of Testosterone Supplements Cause Heart Trouble: Study

• No Sign COVID Raises Odds for Preterm Delivery, Stillbirths

• No Sign Prior COVID Infection Affects a Woman's Fertility: Study

• No Sign That COVID Vaccine in Pregnancy Raises Birth Defect Risk

• No Spectators to Be Allowed at Tokyo Olympic Games

• No, Your Dog Doesn't Really Prefer Your Face, Brain Scans Show

• Noisy Neighborhood? It Could Raise Your Odds for Heart Attack

• Noninfectious Skin Conditions
Detailed information on non-infectious skin conditions, including dermatitis, acne, drug rashes, poison ivy/poison oak, and toxic epidermal necrolysis

• Nontraditional Inheritance
Detailed information on nontraditional inheritance, including uniparental disomy and Prader-Willi Syndrome and Angelman Syndrome, trinucleotide repeats and Fragile-X Syndrome, and mitochondrial inheritance and Leber's Optic Atrophy

• Normal Conversation Spreads Virus-Laden Droplets Beyond 6 Feet

• Normal Growth
A child's growth not only involves the length and weight of his or her body, but also internal growth and development.

• Normal Newborn Behaviors and Activities
Detailed information on normal newborn behaviors and activities

• Nose and Throat Disorders
Detailed information on nose and throat disorders in children

• Nosebleed (Epistaxis) in Children
A nosebleed is bleeding from tissues inside the nose (nasal mucus membranes) caused by a broken blood vessel. Most nosebleeds in children occur in the front part of the nose close to the nostrils.

• Not Just COVID: Humans Pass Many Illnesses to Wild Animals

• Not Just 'Gluten-Sensitive': What People With Celiac Disease Want You to Know

• Not Just Keyboards: Many Types of Workers Can Develop Carpal Tunnel

• Not Just Kids: Peanut Allergy Affects Many Adults

• Not So Sudden: Many Seek Medical Help 2 Weeks Before Cardiac Arrest

• Not the Flu: COVID Death Risk Is 3.5 Times That of Influenza

• Nothing to Sniff at: Depression Common for People With COVID-Linked Smell Loss

• Not-So-Happy-Birthdays: Parties Helped Spread COVID, Study Finds

• Novavax Seeks Approval for Vaccine in Needy Countries First

• Novel Injection Repairs Severe Spinal Cord Injuries in Mice

• Now That Psychiatric Care Has Gone Online, Many Patients Want It to Stay There

• NSAIDS, Steroids for Back Pain: Is Too Much of Them a Bad Thing?

• Number of Americans Willing to Get COVID-19 Vaccine Continues to Rise

• Number of U.S. Kids Hospitalized With COVID Is Likely Overcounted: Study

• Numbers of Non-COVID-19 Deaths Up During Pandemic

• Nurse Practitioners Key to Opioid Treatment in Rural U.S.: Study

• Nursemaid’s Elbow in Children
Nursemaid's elbow is a type of elbow injury. It's when a forearm bone (radius) slips out of place from where it normally attaches to the elbow joint.

• Nurses Are Dying From Suicide at Higher Rates

• Nurses Can Make the Difference for New Moms' Breastfeeding

• Nursing Home Staff Closest to Patients Are Least Likely to Get COVID Vaccines

• Nursing Homes a Hotspot for COVID-19 Deaths

• Nutrition and Burns
A child who has been burned needs additional calories and protein to help them heal and grow.

• Nutrition and Nephrotic Syndrome
Here is information on nutrition and diet for children with nephrotic syndrome.

• Nutrition and Renal Failure
Detailed information on nutrition and renal failure in children

• Nutrition Index
Detailed nutrition information for mothers who are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, and toddlers, preschool-aged children, school-aged children, and adolescents

• Nutritional Requirements for a Child With Cancer
Good nutrition is vital for children being treated for cancer, yet these young patients often have poor appetites.

• NYC Becomes First to Require Vaccination Proof for Indoor Activities

• NYC Opens First Monkeypox Vaccine Clinic in U.S.

• NYC Shoppers Prefer Stores That Enforce Social Distancing, Study Finds

• NYC's Ban on Heating Oil Helped Clean the Air

• NYC's Overdose Prevention Centers Already Saving Lives

• Overview of Diagnostic Tests for Nervous System Disorders in Children
Evaluating and diagnosing damage to the nervous system can be complicated. Many of the same symptoms occur in different combinations among the different disorders, and many disorders do not have definitive causes, markers, or tests.

• Parenting in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
In most cases, you can be with your baby in the NICU at any time. Read on to learn what you can expect.

• Physical Exam of the Newborn
A complete physical exam is an important part of newborn care. Each body system is carefully checked for signs of health and normal function.

• Preparing the Family
Most families soon find ways to adjust to the changes that take place after a baby is born. But it's helpful to prepare family members for what's ahead.

• Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome
While being a new mom brings lots of joy, it also brings stress--something a crying baby can make worse. Having a better understanding of why your baby cries can help you deal with this stress in a healthy way and help you avoid the most common form of child abuse: Shaken baby syndrome.

• School-Aged Child Nutrition
Helpful information and tips on healthy food choices for school-age children.

• Sepsis in the Newborn
Newborn sepsis is a severe infection in an infant younger than 28 days old. The infection is in your baby’s blood. But it may affect any body system or the whole body.

• Skin Color Changes
The color of a baby's skin can often help identify possible problems in another area of the body. Here are some skin color changes to be aware of.

• Sodium and Fluid Restriction for Children with Kidney Failure
Detailed information on controlling sodium in your child's diet.

• Tests for a Newborn Baby in Intensive Care
Babies in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) undergo regular testing so they get the important care they need. Here are several common lab tests. Ask your baby's healthcare provider about them.

• Toddler Nutrition
Read on to learn about healthy food choices, activity tips, and helpful feeding information for your toddler.

• Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn
Transient tachypnea of the newborn is a mild breathing problem. It affects babies during the first hours of life. Transient means it is short-lived. Tachypnea means fast breathing rate. The problem often goes away on its own in about 3 days.

• U.S. Rollout of Pfizer COVID Vaccine Begins

• Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB) in a Newborn Baby
Vitamin K deficiency bleeding is a problem that occurs in some newborns. It happens during the first few days of life. This condition used to be called hemorrhagic disease of the newborn.

• Your Child's Asthma: Nebulizer Treatments
Helpful instructions on giving your child nebulizer treatments.