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.…

Talipes occurs when a baby is born with a foot and ankle twisted out of shape or position. One of the more well-known forms of talipes is clubfoot (talipes equinovarus). However, there are other forms of the condition.…

Foetal 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.…

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic condition that prevents the breakdown of phenylalanine, an amino acid that plays an important role in metabolism. A build-up of phenylalanine in the body can lead to an intellectual disability.…

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.…

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.…