Fetal alcohol syndrome may occur when an unborn child is exposed to alcohol consumed by its mother during pregnancy. The condition may have devastating effects on the development of the fetal brain and the child’s subsequent intellectual, physical and behavioural development.…

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of conditions that affect how a person moves and controls their muscles. It is a result of damage that occurs to the brain before birth, or in the first few months after.…

Cleft lip and palate are congenital conditions in which the two sides of a baby’s top lip or roof of the mouth do not join up during foetal development. Surgery is normally performed to correct the condition, usually between the ages of six months and two years.…

Spina bifida is a birth defect involving the spine, spinal cord and the protective covering of the spinal cord, called the meninges. It is part of a group of disorders called neural tube defects that can occur to a foetus during pregnancy.…

Pectus excavatum, also known as ‘funnel chest’ or ‘sunken chest’, is a deformity of the chest wall present from birth. The connective tissue that connects the breastbone to the ribs grows too much, so the middle of the chest appears sunken.…

Progeria is a rare genetic disorder that causes a child to age rapidly, giving them an average life expectancy of 13 years. Symptoms begin to appear in the first two years of life. It’s also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, or HGPS.…