Many parents assume that all birth defects are severe, but the fact is that many are treatable.
Although it's important to know what you can do to prevent them, it's also important to realize that most children born with congenital defects are born to healthy parents. If you've just found out that your child has a birth defect, you're probably experiencing a number of emotions. Fortunately, you aren't alone - with a little effort, you'll find that there are lots of people and resources to help you. Every week, the KidsHealth editorial staff scans health and medical literature to find the most important advances in children's health. Then we write summaries to keep you posted on how this research may affect you and your child.