A hemangioma is a benign tumor characterized by blood-filled spaces lined by benign endothelial cells. A hemangioma characterized by large endothelial spaces (caverns) is called a cavernous hemangioma (in contrast to a hemangioma with small endothelial spaces, which is called capillary hemangioma).

Cryptorchidism, or failure of testicular descent, is a common human congenital abnormality with a multifactorial etiology that likely reflects the involvement of endocrine, environmental, and hereditary factors. Cryptorchidism can result in infertility and increases risk for testicular tumors. Testicular descent from abdomen to scrotum occurs in 2 distinct phases: the transabdominal phase and the inguinoscrotal phase (summary by Gorlov et al., 2002).

Severe distention of the kidney with dilation of the renal pelvis and calices.

Hypertrophy of the clitoris.

A developmental defect in which a kidney is located in an abnormal anatomic position.

Hypoplasia of the kidney.

Aplasia of the uterus.

The distention of the ureter with urine.

Abnormal position of urethral meatus on the ventral penile shaft (underside) characterized by displacement of the urethral meatus from the tip of the glans penis to the ventral surface of the penis, scrotum, or perineum.

Coxa valga is a deformity of the hip in which the angle between the femoral shaft and the femoral neck is increased compared to age-adjusted values (about 150 degrees in newborns gradually reducing to 120-130 degrees in adults).

A dislocation of the head of the radius from its socket in the elbow joint.

The distal and proximal transverse palmar creases are merged into a single transverse palmar crease.

Hypoplastic/small distal phalanx of the fifth finger.

A widely spaced gap between the first toe (the great toe) and the second toe.

Clinodactyly refers to a bending or curvature of the fifth finger in the radial direction (i.e., towards the 4th finger).

Absence or underdevelopment of the patella.

Developmental hypoplasia of the distal phalanx of little toe.

Absence or underdevelopment of the distal phalanges of the toes.

In utero, the ductus arteriosus (DA) serves to divert ventricular output away from the lungs and toward the placenta by connecting the main pulmonary artery to the descending aorta. A patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in the first 3 days of life is a physiologic shunt in healthy term and preterm newborn infants, and normally is substantially closed within about 24 hours after bith and completely closed after about three weeks. Failure of physiologcal closure is referred to a persistent or patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Depending on the degree of left-to-right shunting, PDA can have clinical consequences.

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital abnormality of the interatrial septum that enables blood flow between the left and right atria via the interatrial septum.

A hole between the two bottom chambers (ventricles) of the heart. The defect is centered around the most superior aspect of the ventricular septum.

People with CCHD have one or more specific heart defects. The heart defects classified as CCHD include coarctation of the aorta, double-outlet right ventricle, D-transposition of the great arteries, Ebstein anomaly, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, interrupted aortic arch, pulmonary atresia with intact septum, single ventricle, total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, tetralogy of Fallot, tricuspid atresia, and truncus arteriosus.\n\nEach of the heart defects associated with CCHD affects the flow of blood into, out of, or through the heart. Some of the heart defects involve structures within the heart itself, such as the two lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles) or the valves that control blood flow through the heart. Others affect the structure of the large blood vessels leading into and out of the heart (including the aorta and pulmonary artery). Still others involve a combination of these structural abnormalities.\n\nSome people with treated CCHD have few related health problems later in life. However, long-term effects of CCHD can include delayed development and reduced stamina during exercise. Adults with these heart defects have an increased risk of abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest, stroke, and premature death.\n\nAlthough babies with CCHD may appear healthy for the first few hours or days of life, signs and symptoms soon become apparent. These can include an abnormal heart sound during a heartbeat (heart murmur), rapid breathing (tachypnea), low blood pressure (hypotension), low levels of oxygen in the blood (hypoxemia), and a blue or purple tint to the skin caused by a shortage of oxygen (cyanosis). If untreated, CCHD can lead to shock, coma, and death. However, most people with CCHD now survive past infancy due to improvements in early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.\n\nCritical congenital heart disease (CCHD) is a term that refers to a group of serious heart defects that are present from birth. These abnormalities result from problems with the formation of one or more parts of the heart during the early stages of embryonic development. CCHD prevents the heart from pumping blood effectively or reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood. As a result, organs and tissues throughout the body do not receive enough oxygen, which can lead to organ damage and life-threatening complications. Individuals with CCHD usually require surgery soon after birth.

An abnormal restriction of fetal growth with fetal weight below the tenth percentile for gestational age.

A height below that which is expected according to age and gender norms. Although there is no universally accepted definition of short stature, many refer to "short stature" as height more than 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender (or below the 3rd percentile for age and gender dependent norms).

Slow or limited growth after birth.

An erosion of the mucous membrane in a portion of the duodenum.

An abnormality of the intestine in which part of the intestine invaginates (telescopes) into another part of the intestine.

An ulcer, that is, an erosion of an area of the gastric mucous membrane.

An abnormality of the intestinal rotation and fixation that normally occurs during the development of the gut. This can lead to volvulus, or twisting of the intestine that causes obstruction and necrosis.

Impaired feeding performance of an infant as manifested by difficulties such as weak and ineffective sucking, brief bursts of sucking, and falling asleep during sucking. There may be difficulties with chewing or maintaining attention.

Upper insertion of the ear to the scalp below an imaginary horizontal line drawn between the inner canthi of the eye and extending posteriorly to the ear.

A type of abnormal location of the ears in which the position of the ears is characterized by posterior rotation (the superior part of the ears is rotated towards the back of the head, and the inferior part of the ears towards the front).

An abnormality of the pinna, which is also referred to as the auricle or external ear.

A decreased magnitude of the sensory perception of sound.

Behavior or an act aimed at harming a person, animal, or physical property (e.g., acts of physical violence; shouting, swearing, and using harsh language; slashing someone's tires).

A seizure is an intermittent abnormality of nervous system physiology characterized by a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.

The closed form of spina bifida with incomplete closure of a vertebral body with intact overlying skin.

A persistent (minutes to hours) abnormal increase in the pitch (frequency) of the voice for the context or social situation or significantly different from baseline of the individual.

A failure to achieve the ability to walk at an appropriate developmental stage. Most children learn to walk in a series of stages, and learn to walk short distances independently between 12 and 15 months.

Underdevelopment of the corpus callosum.

A partial failure of the development of the corpus callosum.

A degree of language development that is significantly below the norm for a child of a specified age.

A delay in the achievement of motor or mental milestones in the domains of development of a child, including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills, and social and emotional skills. This term should only be used to describe children younger than five years of age.

Behavior that consists of repetitive acts, characterized by the feeling that one "has to" perform them, while being aware that these acts are not in line with one's overall goal.

A type of ataxia characterized by the impairment of the ability to coordinate the movements required for normal walking. Gait ataxia is characteirzed by a wide-based staggering gait with a tendency to fall.

Persistent deficits in social interaction and communication and interaction as well as a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interest as well as repetitive patterns of behavior.

A severe delay in the acquisition of the ability to use language to communicate needs, wishes, or thoughts.

Intellectual disability, previously referred to as mental retardation, is characterized by subnormal intellectual functioning that occurs during the developmental period. It is defined by an IQ score below 70.

Delayed myelination in the central nervous system.

Protrusion of the contents of the abdominal cavity through the inguinal canal.

Protrusion of abdominal contents through a defect in the abdominal wall musculature around the umbilicus. Skin and subcutaneous tissue overlie the defect.

Exaggerated anterior convexity of the thoracic vertebral column.

Hypotonia is an abnormally low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle). Even when relaxed, muscles have a continuous and passive partial contraction which provides some resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia thus manifests as diminished resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia is not the same as muscle weakness, although the two conditions can co-exist.

An abnormality in which the mandible is mislocalised posteriorly.

The presence of an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.

Bilateral bulging of the lateral frontal bone prominences with relative sparing of the midline.

An abnormality of skull shape characterized by a decreased anterior-posterior diameter. That is, a cephalic index greater than 81%. Alternatively, an apparently shortened anteroposterior dimension (length) of the head compared to width.

The presence of a hernia of the diaphragm present at birth.

Asymmetric head shape, which is usually a combination of unilateral occipital flattening with ipsilateral frontal prominence, leading to rhomboid cranial shape.

A decreased rate of skeletal maturation. Delayed skeletal maturation can be diagnosed on the basis of an estimation of the bone age from radiographs of specific bones in the human body.

Decreased inferosuperior length of the sternum.

The capability that a joint (or a group of joints) has to move, passively and/or actively, beyond normal limits along physiological axes.

A congenital brain malformation typically characterized by incomplete formation of the cerebellar vermis, dilation of the fourth ventricle, and enlargement of the posterior fossa. In layman's terms, Dandy Walker malformation is a cyst in the cerebellum (typically symmetrical) that is involved with the fourth ventricle. This may interfere with the ability to drain cerebrospinal fluid from the brain, resulting in hydrocephalus. Dandy Walker cysts are formed during early embryonic development, while the brain forms. The cyst in the cerebellum typically has several blood vessels running through it connecting to the brain, thereby prohibiting surgical removal.

Head circumference below 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender.

An increased susceptibility to respiratory infections as manifested by a history of recurrent respiratory infections.

Hoarseness refers to a change in the pitch or quality of the voice, with the voice sounding weak, very breathy, scratchy, or husky.

Absence or abnormal closure of the choana (the posterior nasal aperture). Most embryologists believe that posterior choanal atresia results from a failure of rupture between the 35th and 38th day of fetal life of the partition which separates the bucconasal or buccopharyngeal membranes. The resultant choanal atresia may be unilateral or bilateral, bony or membranous, complete or incomplete. In over 90 per cent of cases the obstruction is bony, while in the remainder it is membranous. The bony type of atresia is commonly located 1-2 mm. anterior to the posterior edge of the hard palate, and the osseous septum varies in thickness from 1 to 10 mm. In the membranous form of choanal atresia the obstruction usually occurs further posteriorly. In approximately one third of cases the atresia is bilateral.

Distance between the oral commissures more than 2 SD above the mean. Alternatively, an apparently increased width of the oral aperture (subjective).

Delayed tooth eruption, which can be defined as tooth eruption more than 2 SD beyond the mean eruption age.

Decreased size of the teeth, which can be defined as a mesiodistal tooth diameter (width) more than 2 SD below mean. Alternatively, an apparently decreased maximum width of tooth.

Height of the palate more than 2 SD above the mean (objective) or palatal height at the level of the first permanent molar more than twice the height of the teeth (subjective).

An abnormal conical form of the teeth, that is, a tooth whose sides converge or taper together incisally.

The palpebral fissure inclination is more than two standard deviations below the mean.

Increase in width of the nasal tip.

Posterior positioning of the nasal root in relation to the overall facial profile for age.

Increased thickness of the lower lip, leading to a prominent appearance of the lower lip. The height of the vermilion of the lower lip in the midline is more than 2 SD above the mean. Alternatively, an apparently increased height of the vermilion of the lower lip in the frontal view (subjective).

Absence of fine and sharp appearance of brows, nose, lips, mouth, and chin, usually because of rounded and heavy features or thickened skin with or without thickening of subcutaneous and bony tissues.

Increased density/number and/or increased diameter of eyebrow hairs.

Decreased number of hairs per unit area of skin of the scalp.

Distance between nasal base and midline upper lip vermilion border more than 2 SD below the mean. Alternatively, an apparently decreased distance between nasal base and midline upper lip vermilion border.

Distance between nasal base and midline upper lip vermilion border more than 2 SD above the mean. Alternatively, an apparently increased distance between nasal base and midline upper lip vermilion border.

Height of the vermilion of the upper lip in the midline more than 2 SD below the mean. Alternatively, an apparently reduced height of the vermilion of the upper lip in the frontal view (subjective).

Cleft palate is a developmental defect of the palate resulting from a failure of fusion of the palatine processes and manifesting as a separation of the roof of the mouth (soft and hard palate).

Decreased vertical distance from the vermilion border of the lower lip to the inferior-most point of the chin.

Hypertrichosis is increased hair growth that is abnormal in quantity or location.

A reticular discoloration of the skin with cyanotic (reddish-blue appearing) areas surrounding pale central areas due to dilation of capillary blood vessels and stagnation of blood within the vessels. Cutis marmorata generally occurs on the legs, arms and trunk and is often more severe in cold weather.

Congenital anonychia is defined as the absence of fingernails and toenails. Anonychia and its milder phenotypic variant, hyponychia, usually occur as a feature of genetic syndromes, in association with significant skeletal and limb anomalies. Isolated nonsyndromic congenital anonychia/hyponychia is a rare entity that usually follows autosomal recessive inheritance with variable expression, even within a given family. The nail phenotypes observed range from no nail field to a nail field of reduced size with an absent or rudimentary nail (summary by Bruchle et al., 2008). This form of nail disorder is referred to here as nonsyndromic congenital nail disorder-4 (NDNC4). For a list of other nonsyndromic congenital nail disorders and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity, see NDNC1 (161050).

Hair that lacks the luster (shine or gleam) of normal hair.

A cutaneous indentation resulting from tethering of the skin to underlying structures (bone) of the intergluteal cleft.

A soft tissue prominence of the ventral aspects of the fingertips. The term "persistent fetal fingertip pads" is often used as a synonym, but should better not be used because it implies knowledge of history of the patient which often does not exist.

Abnormally increased hair growth in the lumbosacral region.

Excessive, increased hair growth located in the facial region.

Mid upper eyelash length >10 mm or increased length of the eyelashes (subjective).

A rudimentary tag of skin often containing ear tissue including a core of cartilage and located just anterior to the auricle (outer part of the ear).

A nail of the fifth finger that is diminished in length and width, i.e., underdeveloped nail of little finger.

Astigmatism (from the Greek 'a' meaning absence and 'stigma' meaning point) is a condition in which the parallel rays of light entering the eye through the refractive media are not focused on a single point. Both corneal and noncorneal factors contribute to refractive astigmatism. Corneal astigmatism is mainly the result of an aspheric anterior surface of the cornea, which can be measured readily by means of a keratometer; in a small fraction of cases (approximately 1 in 10) the effect is neutralized by the back surface. The curvature of the back surface of the cornea is not considered in most studies, because it is more difficult to measure; moreover, in the case of severe corneal astigmatism, there is evidence that both surfaces have the same configuration. Noncorneal factors are errors in the curvature of the 2 surfaces of the crystalline lens, irregularity in the refractive index of the lens, and an eccentric lens position. Since the cornea is the dominant component of the eye's refracting system, a highly astigmatic cornea is likely to result in a similarly astigmatic ocular refraction (summary by Clementi et al., 1998).

The upper eyelid margin is positioned 3 mm or more lower than usual and covers the superior portion of the iris (objective); or, the upper lid margin obscures at least part of the pupil (subjective).

Although hypertelorism means an excessive distance between any paired organs (e.g., the nipples), the use of the word has come to be confined to ocular hypertelorism. Hypertelorism occurs as an isolated feature and is also a feature of many syndromes, e.g., Opitz G syndrome (see 300000), Greig cephalopolysyndactyly (175700), and Noonan syndrome (163950) (summary by Cohen et al., 1995).

Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, is an eye condition that causes blurry distance vision. People who are nearsighted have more trouble seeing things that are far away (such as when driving) than things that are close up (such as when reading or using a computer). If it is not treated with corrective lenses or surgery, nearsightedness can lead to squinting, eyestrain, headaches, and significant visual impairment.\n\nNearsightedness usually begins in childhood or adolescence. It tends to worsen with age until adulthood, when it may stop getting worse (stabilize). In some people, nearsightedness improves in later adulthood.\n\nFor normal vision, light passes through the clear cornea at the front of the eye and is focused by the lens onto the surface of the retina, which is the lining of the back of the eye that contains light-sensing cells. People who are nearsighted typically have eyeballs that are too long from front to back. As a result, light entering the eye is focused too far forward, in front of the retina instead of on its surface. It is this change that causes distant objects to appear blurry. The longer the eyeball is, the farther forward light rays will be focused and the more severely nearsighted a person will be.\n\nNearsightedness is measured by how powerful a lens must be to correct it. The standard unit of lens power is called a diopter. Negative (minus) powered lenses are used to correct nearsightedness. The more severe a person's nearsightedness, the larger the number of diopters required for correction. In an individual with nearsightedness, one eye may be more nearsighted than the other.\n\nEye doctors often refer to nearsightedness less than -5 or -6 diopters as "common myopia." Nearsightedness of -6 diopters or more is commonly called "high myopia." This distinction is important because high myopia increases a person's risk of developing other eye problems that can lead to permanent vision loss or blindness. These problems include tearing and detachment of the retina, clouding of the lens (cataract), and an eye disease called glaucoma that is usually related to increased pressure within the eye. The risk of these other eye problems increases with the severity of the nearsightedness. The term "pathological myopia" is used to describe cases in which high myopia leads to tissue damage within the eye.

Rhythmic, involuntary oscillations of one or both eyes related to abnormality in fixation, conjugate gaze, or vestibular mechanisms.

A misalignment of the eyes so that the visual axes deviate from bifoveal fixation. The classification of strabismus may be based on a number of features including the relative position of the eyes, whether the deviation is latent or manifest, intermittent or constant, concomitant or otherwise and according to the age of onset and the relevance of any associated refractive error.

Interpupillary distance less than 2 SD below the mean (alternatively, the appearance of an decreased interpupillary distance or closely spaced eyes).

Visual impairment (or vision impairment) is vision loss (of a person) to such a degree as to qualify as an additional support need through a significant limitation of visual capability resulting from either disease, trauma, or congenital or degenerative conditions that cannot be corrected by conventional means, such as refractive correction, medication, or surgery.