C.J.C.F.

Acute Renal Failure or Acute Tubular Necrosis	is a temporary condition in which kidney function declines rapidly. The kidneys become unable to filter wastes from the body, maintain the proper balance of water and chemicals such as sodium and potassium in the bloodstream, or produce urine.
Acidosis	is a condition in which too much acid builds up in the blood.
Air Leak Syndrome	is a group of lung diseases that share a common problem -- air leaking through holes in the lung tissue into the spaces outside the lung airways.
Anemia	is a condition in which there are too few red blood cells in the blood circulation.
Apnea	is a term for the absence of breathing for more than 20 seconds during which the baby's heart rate may decrease and their skin may turn pale, purplish or blue from lack of oxygen.
Arrhythmia	is an abnormal heart rhythm.
Arterial Septal Defect	is a hole in the septum of the heart. the septum separates the two upper chambers of the heart.
Asphyxia	is the lack of oxygen to the brain and the body that results in an accumulation of carbon dioxide and acid in the blood.
Atelectasis	is the collapse of air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs that interferes with the ability of the lungs to sufficiently deliver oxygen to the blood.
Birth Defect	is a health problem or physical change which is present in a baby at the time he/she is born.
Bradycardia	is an abnormal slowing of the heart rate.
Chronic Lung Disease (CLD) or Bronchopulmonary Dysplasis (BPD)	is a general term for long-term respiratory problems in premature babies. CLD results from lung injury to newborns who must use a mechanical ventilator and extra oxygen for breathing. The lungs of premature babies are fragile and are easily damaged.
Cerebral Palsy	is the name for a group of movement disorders caused by an injury to the brain either during pregnancy, during birth, shortly after birth, or before age 5. Children with cerebral palsy have difficulty coordinating muscle movement because nerve cells in the motor control centers of the brain are damaged and can’t signal the appropriate muscles.
Cytomegalovirus	is a common virus that can attack babies with poor or underdeveloped immune systems.
Desaturation ("Desats")	is a medical term for too little oxygen in the blood.
Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV)	is a congenital heart defect in which both the aorta and pulmonary artery exit from the right ventricle.
Edema	is a build-up of fluid in the body that results in swelling; it is usually a symptom of another ailment.
Gastroenteritis	is an inflammation of the bowel, usually due to infection.
Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER)	is a digestive disorder that is caused by gastric acid flowing from the stomach into the esophagus.
Heart Murmur	is an abnormal, extra sound heard with each heartbeat.
Hyaline Membrane Disease (HMD) or Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)	is one of the most common problems of premature babies. It is a breathing disorder that is present at birth.
Hydrops Fetalis	is a severe, life-threatening problem of severe edema (swelling) in the fetus and newborn.
Hypocalcemia	is a condition in which there is too little calcium in the blood.
Hyperbilirubinemia or Jaundice	is a condition in which there is too much bilirubin in the blood. When red blood cells break down, a substance called bilirubin is formed. Babies are not easily able to get rid of the bilirubin and it can build up in the blood and other tissues and fluids of the baby’s body.
Hypospadius	is the name of the condition in which the opening of the penis (the meatus) is located some place other than the tip. Hypospadius occurs in about 1 in 250 boys, though it seems to be becoming more common.
Hypoxemia	is when there are low oxygen levels in the blood.
Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)	is bleeding inside or around the ventricles, the spaces in the brain containing the cerebral spinal fluid.
Low Birthweight	is a term used to describe babies who are born weighing less than 2,500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces). In contrast, the average newborn weighs about 7 pounds.
Meconium Aspiration	occurs when a baby breathes in amniotic fluid containing meconium (the baby's first stools).
Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC)	is a gastrointestinal disease that mostly affects premature infants, NEC involves infection and inflammation that causes destruction of the bowel (intestine) or part of the bowel. Although it affects only one in 2,000 to 4,000 births, or between 1% and 5% of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, NEC is the most common and serious gastrointestinal disorder among hospitalized preterm infants.
Retinopathy of Premaurity (ROP)	is an abnormal growth of the blood vessels in an infant's eye.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)	is a condition in which the connecting blood vessel between the pulmonary artery and the aorta in fetal circulation, called the ductus arteriosus, stays open in a newborn baby.
Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)	is damage to the white matter, the inner part of the brain that transmits information between the nerve cells and the spinal cord as well as from one part of the brain to another.
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)	is a serious condition in the lungs in which high blood pressure in the arteries supplying blood to the lungs decreases the amount of oxygen to the rest of the body.
Pneumomediastinum	is when air leaks into the mediastinum which is the space in the thoracic cavity behind the sternum and between the two pleural sacs containing the lungs.
Pneumopericardium	is when air leaks into the sac surrounding the heart.
Pneumothorax	is when air leaks into the space between the chest wall and the outer tissues of the lungs.
Polydactyly	is a congenital abnormality, is the presence of more than the normal number of fingers or toes. the condition is usually inherited as an autosomal dominant characteristic and can usually be corrected by surgery.
Polycythemia or Plethora	is a condition in which there are too many red blood cells in the blood circulation. It is the opposite of anemia.
Pulmonary Interstitial Emphysema (PIE)	is when air leaks and becomes trapped between the alveoli.
Pyloric Stenosis	is a problem that affects babies between 2 and 8 weeks of age and causes forceful vomiting that can lead to dehydration. It is the second most common problem requiring surgery in newborns.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)	is a virus which is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants and children under 1 year of age.
Syndactyly	is the webbing or fusing together of two or more fingers or toes.
Small for Gestational Age (SGA)	is a term used to describe a baby who is smaller than usual for the number of weeks of pregnancy. SGA babies usually have birthweights below the 10th percentile for babies of the same gestational age. This means that they are smaller than 90 percent of all other babies of the same gestational age.
Sepsis	is an infection caused by bacteria growing in the blood.
Tachypnea	is a breathing rate that is faster than normal.
Tachycardia	is a heart rate that is faster than normal.
Thrombocytopenia	is a condition in which there are too few platelets (the cells produced in the bone marrow that are needed for clotting).
Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTN)	is a term for a mild respiratory problem of babies that begins after birth and lasts about three days. Other terms for TTN are “wet lungs” or type II respiratory distress syndrome.
Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)	is a hole in the wall of the heart between the left and right lower heart chambers (ventricles). The hole allows blood to flow from the left ventricle to the right ventricle instead of entering the aorta for distribution throughout the body.
Very Low Birthweight	is a term used to describe babies who are born weighing less than 1,500 grams (3 pounds, 5 ounces).