Kids who have hearing loss, or hearing impairment, have trouble hearing or understanding some or all sounds. This can happen when there is a problem with: one or more parts of the ears the nerves that send sound signals from the ears to the brain the part of the brain that makes sense of these signals …
How Does Flying Affect Ears? Many of us have felt that weird ear-popping sensation when we fly. For kids (especially babies and young children), it can feel especially odd and even be scary at first. But it’s a common, normal part of flying. This sometimes uncomfortable sensation is related to pressure changes in the air …
What Is Farsightedness? Farsightedness (hyperopia) is a vision problem that makes it hard to see nearby objects clearly. What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Farsightedness? Kids with farsightedness may have: blurred vision eyestrain headaches tiredness Some kids also may: squint rub their eyes a lot show a lack of interest in reading What Causes …
What Is the Spleen? The spleen is a fist-sized organ in the upper left part of the belly under the ribcage. It helps protect the body by clearing worn-out red blood cells and other foreign bodies (such as germs) from the bloodstream. The spleen is part of the lymphatic system, which is an extensive drainage network. The …
What Does Skin Do? Skin, our largest organ, has many jobs. It: protects the network of muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, and everything else inside our bodies forms a barrier that prevents harmful substances and germs from entering the body protects body tissues against injury helps control body temperature through sweating when we’re hot and by helping keep …
Why Are the Mouth and Teeth Important? Every time we smile, frown, talk, or eat, we use our mouths and teeth. Our mouths and teeth let us make different facial expressions, form words, eat, drink, and begin the process of digestion. The mouth is essential for speech. With the lips and tongue, teeth help form words …
What Is Metabolism? Metabolism (meh-TAB-uh-liz-um) is the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that change food into energy. Our bodies need this energy to do everything from moving to thinking to growing. Specific proteins in the body control the chemical reactions of metabolism. Thousands of metabolic reactions happen at the same time — all regulated …
What Is Reproduction? Reproduction is the process by which organisms make more organisms like themselves. But even though the reproductive system is essential to keeping a species alive, unlike other body systems, it’s not essential to keeping an individual alive. In the human reproductive process, two kinds of sex cells, or gametes (GAH-meetz), are involved. The male …
What Are Ears and What Do They Do? The ear is made up of three different sections that work together to collect sounds and send them to the brain: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The Outer Ear The outer ear is made up of the pinna — also called the …
What Is the Digestive System? Food is our fuel, and its nutrients give our bodies’ cells the energy and substances they need to work. But before food can do that, it must be digested into small pieces the body can absorb and use. The first step in the digestive process happens before we even taste …
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