children s health issues
Introduction to Birth Defects of the Face, Bones, Joints, and Muscles
Introduction
Birth defects, also called congenital anomalies, are physical abnormalities that occur before a baby is born. "Congenital" means "present at birth." Birth defects of the face and limbs are fairly common. They may involve only a specific body part, such as the mouth ( Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate or Birth defects may be classified as Deformities Malformations is a change in the shape of a body part. A deformity is caused by unusual pressure on the baby in the womb (for example, some forms of clubfoot) or after the baby is born (for example, some Craniosynostosis ). Deformities are present in about 2% of births. Some deformities improve without treatment within a few days, but others need to be treated. is an error in the baby's development that occurs in the womb. Causes of malformations include Overview of Chromosome and Gene Disorders , Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita None are caused by the abnormal growth or development of the head and/or facial bones while the baby is growing inside the mother. The most common defects of the face are Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate . Other defects may involve the include Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip and Missing or Incompletely Formed Limbs None In Bowlegs the knees appear to be turned outward. In Muscle Defects None Neck and back abnormalitiescan be caused by injuries to soft tissues or bones. Two of the most common abnormalities are Congenital Torticollis None Overview of Brain and Spinal Cord Birth Defects None include Scoliosis , which is rarely apparent at birth, and defects of a specific vertebra, which are likely to be identified at birth. A number of different genetic syndromes include scoliosis as one of their abnormalities. As children grow, the spinal curve caused by a defect of the spine can progress quickly. Doctors monitor the spine closely. 