Congenital disorder

A congenital disorder is a birth defect or is a condition that exists at or before birth regardless of cause. (Boston’s Children’s Hospital, n.d) An example of this disorder would be Down syndrome. This population group would be difficult for me to work with because of a lack of understanding. The challenge in working with this particular population would be the lack of communication, which would hinder how much help I would be able to provide. Although it would be difficult, as a Generalist Practitioner I must be prepared to work with all populations of people. The three primary principles characterizing generalist practice all involve values. The first is an emphasis on the client’s strengths, self-empowerment and resiliency as opposed to their weakness or deficits. I can apply this knowledge when working with those with congenital…

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), the cytomegalovirus is the most common viral infection that infants are born with in the United States, is the leading cause of congenital abnormalities, has no cure or vaccine and is spread by body contact and body like sweat and saliva. Recently though, new studies have emerged to provide data on a virus, which has similar characteristics as the cytomegalovirus. This virus is the zika virus. The zika virus displays similar…

Many parents when asked the sex of their baby would respond with, “It doesn't matter as long as the baby is healthy,” or something along those lines. Every parent's hope is to have a healthy child. Considering all the birth defects that could happen while a child is developing in the womb, this would be all I’d hoped for too. One birth defect is gastroschisis. Gastroschisis is a birth defect that develops in a baby during pregnancy. This defect happens when an opening forms in the baby's…

Many herbicides and pesticides are thought to be involved in teratogenic, or embryonic development disturbing, mechanisms. Therefore it is important to study the effects of these chemicals on humans and wildlife in the event of contact or contamination. Case-Control Study of Maternal Residential Atrazine Exposure and Male Genital Malformations by Agopian in 2012 is one study that examines an herbicide, atrazine, in relation to birth defects of male genital development. Atrazine is one of the…

Coarctation of the Aorta Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital defect that can occur in infants. A congenital defect is present at birth and may or may not be discovered before delivery. Once discovered, management of the condition and treatment must begin immediately. Etiology Coarctation of the aorta presents as a narrowing of the aorta near the heart. Specifically, near where the ductus arteriosus joins the heart. Because this narrowing occurs distal to the vessels that supply blood…

Non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia or NCAH is a disorder that affects both men and women from late childhood through the rest of their lives. Compared to its sister form, classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia, it is non-life threatening. The Mayo Clinic, a service that gives people medical information and helps set up doctor appointments, defines NCAH as “a collection of genetic conditions that limit your adrenal glands' ability to make certain vital hormones.” These vital hormones…

According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health (covering Infancy through Adolescence), an estimated one in 2,000 babies is born with all or part of a limb missing. The condition described in these statistics is known as congenital amputation, and covers everything from missing toes to missing limbs such as legs and feet. The book No Excuses tells of the life of the author, Kyle Maynard, and his battle with the limitations of his body. He is a congenital amputee who was born without both…

Pediatric Congenital Heart Conditions There are several pediatric congenital heart conditions that can occur and it is important as practitioners that each can be recognized as not to delay treatment. This article speaks of three different types of congenital heart conditions; the presentation, exam, diagnosis, treatment, and any long term effects for the patients. Patent Ductus Arteriosus In utero the ductus arteriosus connects the aorta and pulmonary artery. It allows blood to flow from the…

Every year in the United States, 40,000 babies born have a congenital heart defect, making it the most common congenital anomaly in the United States, and that statistic is only increasing (CDC 2018). 40,000 may not seem like a lot, but that’s 40,000 children affected by a defect that strays them from living a normal childhood and the likeability of living a long and healthy life. Additionally, this affects the parents as well, who are now wary of whether or not their child will surpass their…

While some pursue medicine for the paycheck, prestige, or simply to carry on the family business, my desire for pursuing a career in medicine has been driven by another motive entirely. The odds were one out of 15,000 and I was chosen — I was diagnosed with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) at the age of eight. CAH is a genetic disorder that affects the general health, growth, and development of the body. Not only does this condition involve the taking of daily medication for the rest of my…