Bronchiolitis

Every year in the UK, some 20,000 babies are hospitalised by a severe lung disease called bronchiolitis  after infection with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are inflammatory bowel conditions that can make life almost intolerable for sufferers.

Both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis cause symptoms including chronic diarrhoea, severe abdominal pain, weight loss, extreme tiredness and psychological problems. In extreme cases, these inflammatory bowel diseases can even be life-threatening.

Medicines for children

Medicines usually undergo extensive clinical trials in adults before they are allowed to be prescribed by doctors. But many medicines prescribed for children have never been tested in this age group. Doctors have often been forced to rely on their own judgement or anecdotal evidence when prescribing for children rather than basing their decisions on evidence-based guidelines.

Spina bifida and folic acid

Every year in the UK an estimated 700 to 900 pregnant women are told that their babies have a neural tube defect like spina bifida.

Sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease covers a group of inherited blood disorders which affect mainly Afro-Caribbean people although sufferers may also come from parts of Europe, South America and the Middle East.

Sickle cell disease causes severely painful ‘crises’ brought on by a variety of factors including stress, dehydration and cold exposure.