Acknowledgment: This document has been compiled and submitted by Dr Anil Mokashi, MD DCH FIAP Bal Kalyan Kendra, Sardar Patel Road, Baramati, Dist Pune 413102

Alphabets

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z



A

Abduction Movement of a limb away from the body.

Abnormal behavior Activities detrimental to the individual or to society.

Adduction Movement of a limb toward the axis of the body.

Abstraction The mental process of forming abstract ideas.

Abscess A cavity containing pus and surrounded by inflamed tissue,

Accident Unexpected event that may result in death, injury.

Accidents and disability Accidents in home, on the roads cause disabilities.

Accommodation Adjustment.

Achievement tests A standardized test to assess knowledge in various fields.

Acoustic nerve A cranial nerve composed of fibers from the cochlear nerve and the vestibular nerve in the inner ear, convey impulses of hearing and balance. Also called eighth cranial nerve.

Action Nerves (motor) Carry messages from the brain to part of the body

Acquired Condition originating after birth.

Acuity of vision Testing of the eyes to measure the clarity of vision.

Acute Beginning abruptly , subsiding after a short period of time.

Achondroplasia Most common type of dwarf, short limbs, normal trunk, large head,depressed nasal bridge, small face, stubby hands, and lordosis. disorder of the growth of cartilage in the long bones and skull that results in premature ossification.

Adaptation A response to stress of any kind.

Admittance : The ability of the auditory system to absorb the flow of acoustic energy; expressed in terms of compliance.

Adolescence The period in development between the onset of puberty (11to13years) and completely developed adult form (18-20years)

Adoption A selection and bringing into an established relationship.

Aggressive Behavior The child cannot control his behavior and responds in an aggressive manner.

Aids for reading Page turner etc

Aids for writing Pencil holder etc.

Aids for drawing Brush holder etc.

Alcoholic parent Disturbed family life, poverty, affects learning process of the children.

Alexia Inability to comprehend written words.

Allopathy Disease treated by creating an environment against it.

Amputation Removing the limb or part of the limb by surgery

Anemia Hemoglobin level in the blood less than 10 grams.

Anesthesia Lack of feeling, absence of sensation, pain, induced by drug

Anatomy Study of structures and organs

Antibiotic Drug to destroy or interfere with the development of a living organism.

Antibody An immunoglobulin produced by lymphocytes in response to bacteria, viruses, or other antigenic substances.

Anti-social people They know what others expect, but behave against the wishes of the group. They are neglected or rejected by the group.

Antisocial personality disorder Behavioral patterns that lack moral and ethical standards.

Anorexia Loss of appetite.

Anoxia Condition characterized by a lack of oxygen.

Aphasia Defective or absent language function

Arthritis Inflammatory condition of the joints, characterized by pain and swelling.

Artificial limb Available commercially ( Jaipur foot, aluminium) or can be made at home or any workshop using plastic PVC pipes or bamboo.

Artificial ventilation Assisted respiration when normal breathing is ineffective or Absent.Also called artificial respiration.

Arthrogryposis Multiple contractures, from birth. Curved, stiff joints and weak muscles. Child looks like a wooden puppet.

Asphyxia Lack of oxygen, unconsciousness, death. Caused by drowning, electric shock, aspiration of vomitus, foreign body in the respiratory tract, toxic gas or smoke, poisoning.

Astigmatism Light rays cannot be focused in a point on the retina because the curve of the cornea is not equal in all meridians. Vision is blurred, and use of the eyes causes discomfort. The person cannot accommodate to correct the problem. The condition usually may be corrected with contact lenses or with eye glasses ground to neutralize the defect.

Ataxia Difficulty with balance & coordination , inability to coordinate movement

Ataxic speech Faulty formation of the sounds because of neuromuscular dysfunction.

Athetosis Uncontrolled movements.

Atrophy A wasting or diminution of size

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Child is restless,constantly moving, short attention span, disturbed learning process.

Attention span Time for which the mental focus is maintained on a specific issue, object, or activity.

Audio A combining form meaning 'hearing': audiology.

Audiometry Hearing test. Determines hearing threshold, Pure tone audiometry Speech audiometry , Impedance audiometry

Audiologist An expert who knows about physiology, pathology, testing and treatment of hearing process.

Auditory Brainstem Responses Electrical signals or potentials arising in the auditory nerve and brainstem, alternatively called BSER

Auditory Perception Learning experience going from environment to brain through hearing system and understanding the meanings of sound.

Autism Subjective, self-centered behavior not altered by external influences. Withdrawal from contact with people.

Automatic Gain Control A system used for the automatic control of the maximum acoustic output of a hearing aid.

Backache Pain in back, can be psychosomatic or can be malingering.

Backlog tutions A special tution for scholastic backwardness giving emphasize on achievement based education.

Back-knee Knee bends back more than normal

Bacteria Small unicellular microorganisms, being spheric (cocci: streptococci, meningococci, gonococci), rod-shaped (bacilli: salmonella, shigella, E coli, mycobacterium tuberculosis, mycobacterium leprae, pseudomonas), spiral (spirochetes: syphilis, malaria, filaria ), or comma-shaped (vibrios: cholera).

Bed sores Are formed over bony parts of the body when a person lies or sits on that part for long time without moving. Blood circulation of that part is hampered and tissue becomes dead. Also called as pressure sores.

Bedwetting Uncontrolled micturition during sleep.

Behavior The manner in which a person acts.

Behavior disorder Over-aggressiveness, overactivity, destructiveness, cruelty, truancy, lying, disobedience, perverse sexual activity, criminality, alcoholism, and drug addiction.

Behavior modification A form of psychotherapy that suggests altered behavior.

Behavior problem Altered behavior not acceptable to the society.

Bell's palsy Paralysis of the facial nerve,

Bender-Gestalt Test Is a perceptual motor integrity test. It reflects structural or physiological anomalies of CNS.

Biologic Pertaining to living organisms and their products.

Biostatistics Data on births, deaths, diseases, injuries affecting human health. Also called vital statistics.

Birth injury Trauma suffered by a baby while being born. Some kinds of birth injury are Bell's palsy, cerebral palsy, and Erb's palsy.

Bladder Membranous sac serving as areceptacle for secretions eg. urinary bladder, gall bladder.

Blindness A partial or total inability to see, a physical handicap.

Blind spot A normal gap in the visual field when an image is focused on the retina, occupied by the optic disc. An abnormal gap in the visual field because of a lesion on the retina, optic pathways, hemorrhage or choroiditis, perceived as light spots or flashes.

Blindness causes Dry eye (xerophthalmia), Trachoma infection, Gonorrhoea in newborn, Chlamydia infection, River blindness (onchocercosis), Measles, Brain damage, Eye injuries, and other problems can cause blindness.

Blindness prevention Keep the children well fed, clean and healthy. Most blindness is preventable.

Body braces Body jackets, for severe (more than 40 degree) spinal curves. .Braces are not required for minor( 20 degree) spinal curves.

Bone age Stage of development of the skeleton. Is determined by X ray.

Bone Conduction Transmission of sound via bone, tuning fork.

Bowel training Method of establishing regular evacuation by reflex conditioning.

Braille A system of printing for the blind , raised dots can be read by touch.

Brain damage and blindness Cerebral palsy, Birth asphyxia, German measles (rubella) during pregnancy, Meningitis, Encephalitis.

Brain damage and cerebral palsy In each child with cerebral palsy, the parts of brain damaged are different . Problems the child will face in functioning depend on the part and severity of brain damage.

Brain damage and fits Cerebral palsy, birth asphyxia, german measles (rubella) during pregnancy, meningitis, encephalitis.

Brain damage and stroke Damage in the motor area of the brain causes paralysis or stroke.

Brain tumor Is a physical handicap. Problem depends on site and size of the tumor.

Brainstem auditory evoked potential The electric activity recorded from the brainstem in the first 10 msec after an auditory stimulus.

Brainstem Evoked Response EEG tracing in response to auditory signals. Also called ABR.

Breast feeding and disability prevention Antibodies in breast milk prevent polio. Malnutrition is a disability itself. Breast milk can prevent this disability. In down's syndrome, breast milk provides immunity and prevents recurrent infections.

Breast feeding in cerebral palsy Baby may have sucking , swallowing difficulties. If necessary, expressed breast milk can be given by a spoon or a nasogastric tube.

Breast feeding in cleft lip and palate Put the breast deep into the mouth so that milk comes out on the back of the baby's tongue. To prevent choking, feed in the sitting position with his head tilted forward a Little. Sometimes expressed breast milk has to be fed by a spoon.

Breast feeding in down's syndrome Breast milk gives antibodies to fight against infections. If child is slow and does not accept spoonfeeds.

Breath holding spells A behavior problem of infancy, attention-seeking device. Cerebral anoxia during the period of breath holding can cause crying convulsions.

Brittle bone disease See osteogenesis imperfecta.

Broca's area Speech production area of the brain..

Broken family Disturbed family life, disturbed learning process,social handicap, Affects child development.

Bow legs See genu varum

Bow legs in disease Short limb dwarfism.

Bowlegs in normal child Normal up to 18 months age

Bowel Movement Emptying of the bowel ,shitting

Bursitis Inflammation of the bursa, the connective tissue structure surrounding a joint.

Burn Injury caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, or gases

Butt A part of the body on which one sits.

Cataract Loss of transparency of the lens of the eye

Calipers See braces

Canes Wooden or metal shaft, used to gives support and mobility to a disabled person. Cane should be held on the opposite side of the weaker leg.

Canes different models Straight poles, plant canes, adjustable metal tube canes, 3 or 4 footed canes for better stability., rubber tip canes.

Canes for the blind Teach him to use a cane at 5 years. It should be thin, light and tall enough to reach midway between waist and shoulder.

Casts Plaster of Paris around a limb to immobilize it during healing.

Casts for arthritis Useful to correct contractures.

Casts for club feet 60 % clubfeet can be corrected by strapping and casts, without surgery, between 6 to 8 weeks.

Casts for hip problems Casts are used to keep the legs apart in congenital dislocation of hip.

Casts for correcting contractures With wedges,

Catheter A hollow, flexible tube to withdraw or to instill fluids. Made of soft plastic or rubber.

Cell Fundamental living tissue.

Central Masking The effect by which the threshold of a signal presented to one ear is elevated by a masking sound presented to the other ear.

Cerebral palsy Brain defect present at birth or shortly thereafter. Paralysis, stiffness, balance problems, abnormal body movements, convulsions, mental retardation, and impaired speech, vision, and hearing. Caused by premature or abnormal birth, birth asphyxia, causing damage to the nervous system. Breathing, sucking, swallowing difficulties after birth. Walking is delayed and scissors gait. Deep-tendon reflexes are exaggerated, slurred speech, delayed sphincter control. Early diagnosis, exercise and training program. Treatment is individualized braces, surgery for deformities, speech therapy, and drugslike muscle relaxants and anticonvulsants.

Chemical mediator A neurotransmitter chemical, such as acetylcholine.

Chemistry Science dealing with elements, compounds, molecular structure and interactions of matter.

Chemotherapy The treatment of infectious or other diseases with chemical agents.

Child abuse The physical, sexual, emotional maltreatment of a child. It may result in physical, psychiatric injury, mental impairment or some time death.

Child in crisis In crisis like earthquake, famine, draught or war, children have special needs. Care of such children is an important part of community pediatrics.

Child development The various stages of physical, social and psychological growth that occur from birth through adulthood.

Child development center A team of experts helps the child, parent and society in the interest of best possible development.

Child guidance center Government initiative to 'entertain and educate' slum children.

Child guidance clinic Initiative from psychology department or social work department to address "problems in childhood or psychological needs of children".

Child labor Children employed on wages to earn a livelihood, are denied of their rights for core education and development. A special law protects them.

Child prostitutes Sexual abuse, exploited, social, psychological, physical handicapped.

Children of prostitute Psychological, educationally, socially handicapped children.

Circumduction Circular movement of a limb

Chromosome Threadlike, in cell nucleus, transmits genetic information. Each species has a characteristic number of chromosomes in the somatic cell, which in humans is 46 and includes 22 homologous pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes, 22 XY in males and 22 XX in females, with one member of each pair being derived from each parent.

Chronic illnesses Any illness that persists over a long period of time and affects physical emotional intellectual, social or spiritual functioning.

Chronologic age Time elapsed since birth,

Clinical Psychologist Person who has a postgraduate degree in Clinical Psychology

Cleft lip Congenital anomaly, cleft in the upper lip Also called harelip.

Cleft palate Congenital defect ,fissure in the midline of the palate.

Communication he way we understand what is said and say or express our thoughts, needs and feelings to other people. People who can hear communicate through speech.

Community based rehabilitation Members of the community start, plan, organize and control the rehabilitation activity. Program is small, local and user organized.

Condom A soft, flexible sheath that covers the penis and prevents semen from entering the vagina in sexual intercourse.

Rubella Viral, fever, cold , cough and a rash. Also called German measles

Condom catheter Used in boys and men who can not control urine.

Conductive hearing loss Sound is inadequately conducted through the external or middle ear to the sensori-neural apparatus of the inner ear.

Conduction velocity The speed with which an electrical impulse can be transmitted.

Congenital Present at birth.

Congenital anomaly Any abnormality present at birth. Also called birth defect.

Congenital rubella Congenital anomaly caused by maternal rubella in pregnancy.

Consanguinity Blood relationship between parents. Increased risk of congenital anomalies if the marriage is consanguineous.

Constipation Difficulty in passing stools or hard stools.

Contractures Joint is flexed and fixed. Atrophy and shortening of muscle fibers around the joints.

Convergence The movement of two objects towards a common point, such as turning of the eyes inwards to see object close to the face.

Convergence testing Test for turning of eyes inward to see an object close to face.

Cornea The anterior glasslike transparent part of the eye. Corneal curvature varies in different individuals and at different ages, the curvature being more pronounced in youth than in advanced age. So the need spectacles after 40 years of age.

Cretinism Congenital hypothyroidism. dwarfism, mental retardation , puffy facial features, dry skin, large tongue, umbilical hernia.,

Criminal environment Criminal parents, family or society affects child development. Child development center helps to nullify the adverse effect on personality development.

Crutches A wooden or metal staff, which reaches from the ground almost to the axilla, to aid a person in walking.

Cytochemistry Chemicals within a living cell, their actions and functions.

Cytomegalovirus Infection by the cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Deafness A partial or complete loss of hearing.

Decibel A unit of sound intensity.

Decubitus ulcer Ulcer on the skin over a bony prominence. Also called bedsore, pressure necrosis, pressure ulcer.

Deep tendon reflex A brisk contraction of a muscle in response to a sudden stretch induced by a sharp tap on the tendon of insertion of the muscle. Absence of the reflex means damaged muscle, peripheral nerve, nerve roots, or the spinal cord. A hyperactive reflex means disease of the pyramidal tract above the level of the reflex arc being tested.

Defecation Elimination of feces through the rectum.

Delinquency Failure to fulfill a duty or misdeed

Dental caries Food (sugars) + bacteria form a dental plaque. Plaque helps bacteria to produce acids that break the enamel of the tooth. Leading to cavity and bacterial infection .

Dentistry The art and science of teeth and oral cavity.

Depression Mood disturbances, sadness, discouragement resulting from personal loss or tragedy.

Destitute A child without home.

Development The gradual change from a simple to a more advanced level of complexity. In humans the physical, mental, and emotional capacities.

Developmental age Child's developmental progress stated in age.

Developmental quotient (DQ) Developmental age divided by the chronologic age multiplied by 100.

Developmental Pediatrician A Pediatrician who specializes in child development.

Diarrhoea Frequent passage of loose, watery stools.

Diaper (nappy) A cloth to soak up urine, usually worn by a child

Diplegia Paralysis of both sides of any part of the body.

Disability Impaired physical or mental fitness.

Dislocation Displacement of any part of the body from its normal position..

Disinterest In school: School phobia.

Divorce Parental separation, broken family, psychological trauma, disturbed learning.

Dominance The gene that is manifest is dominant; it masks the effect of the other gene, which is recessive.

Down syndrome Congenital mental retardation and multiple defects.Also called mongolism. chromosomal abnormality , presence of an extra chromosome 21, mother's age over 35 years Infants are hypotonic, flattened occiput, mongoloid slant to the eyes, depressed nasal bridge, low-set ears, large, protruding tongue. The hands are short and broad with a transverse palmar or simian crease; the fingers are stubby. The feet are broad and stubby congenital heart disease mental retardation, varies, average IQ is of 50 to 60, the child is generally trainable

Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy Progressive symmetric wasting of the leg and pelvic muscles. Affects males. It is an X-linked recessive disease.

Dyspraxia Partial inability to perform skilled movements without problem motor or sensory function.

Dyslexia Inability to read. Dyslexic persons often reverse letters and words, cannot distinguish the letter sequences in written words, and have difficulty determining left from right.

Dystocia Difficult labor, obstruction or constriction of birth passage or an abnormal size, shape, position, or condition of the fetus.

Dystrophy Defective nutrition in muscles that does not involve the nervous system, such as fatty degeneration associated with increased size but decreased strength.

Dwarf Abnormally short person.

Ear The organ of hearing and balance, consisting of the internal, middle, and external ear. The external ear includes the skin-covered cartilaginous auricle visible on either side of the head and the portion of the external auditory canal that is outside the skull. Together they form a funnel that directs sound waves toward the eardrum, or tympanic membrane, which marks the boundary between the external ear and the air-filled middle ear. The middle ear contains three very small bones, the malleus, incus, and stapes, which transmit vibrations caused by sound waves reaching the tympanic membrane to the oval window of the inner ear. The leverage of the ossicles, or middle-ear bones, increases the intensity of sound vibrations by more than 25 dB. Because the inner ear is filled with fluid, the increased intensity helps compensate for the loss of signal normally caused by sound-wave reflection of the fluid. The inner ear contains two separate organs: the vestibular apparatus, which provides the sense of balance, and the organ of Corti, which receives vibrations from the middle ear and translates them into nerve impulses, which are again interpreted by brain cells as specific sounds.

Ear speculum A short, funnel-shaped tube attached to an otoscope for examining the ear canal

Educational psychology The application of psychological principles, techniques and tests to educational problems, effective instructional methods, assessment and selection of students for specialized courses.

Emotions Feelings.

Emotional abuse Treating a person so that he feels inept, uncared for, and worthless.

Emotional age Age determined by the stage of emotional development reached.

Emotional deprivation Lack of adequate warmth, affection and interest, common in institutionalized children, broken homes.

Emotional need A psychological or mental requirement usually centering on basic feelings.

Emotional problems of deaf They feel lonely, forgotten or get behavior problems.

Emotional problems of parents of disabled They need appreciation for what they are doing for the child. There is a limit .Parent may loose patience or mental balance in difficult circumstances. We should understand them and look for ways to help.

Emotional problems of spinal cord injury Hard to accept, fears, uncertainty about future, depressed, angry, uncooperative. These are normal responses. Tell truth.

Emotional response Reaction to feelings, that precipitates action or behavioral response.

Emotional support Understanding approach that helps patients accept and deal with their illnesses, communicate their anxieties and fears, derive comfort from a gentle, sympathetic, caring person and increase their ability to care for themselves.

Emotional Quotient A scale to evaluate emotional development of an individual.

Empathy To recognize and share the emotions of other person, understand that person's behavior. It is an essential quality for effective psychotherapy.

Endemic Indigenous to a geographic area or population.

ENT Ear, Nose and Throat.

ENT Surgeon A surgeon who specializes in ear, nose, and throat problems.

Encopresis Fecal incotience.

Encephalitis An inflammatory condition of brain. Usually a viral infection.

Encephalopathy Any abnormal condition of the structure or function of brain.

Enuresis Incontinence of urine, especially in bed at night

Environmental stimulation A right environment that stimulates child development.

Enzyme A protein that catalyzes chemical reactions in organic matter.

Epidemic Affecting a significantly large number of people at the same time

Epilepsy Recurrent convulsions, sensory disturbances, loss of conciousness or all of these.

Erb's palsy Paralysis caused by trauma to the upper brachial plexus in childbirth from forcible traction during delivery. The arm on the affected side hangs loosely with the elbow extended and the forearm pronated.

Eustachian tube A tube that joins the nasopharynx and the middle ear, allowing equalization of the air pressure in the middle ear with atmospheric pressure. Also called auditory tube.

Extension A movement that increases the angle between two adjoining bones,

External ear The outer structure of the ear, consisting of the auricle and the external acoustic meatus. Sound waves are funneled through the external ear to the middle ear.

Eye Organ of sight, in a bony orbit at the front of the skull, innervated by optic nerve from the forebrain. Associated with the eye are certain accessory structures, such as the muscles, the fasciae, the eyebrow, the eyelids, the conjunctiva, and the lacrimal gland. The bulb of the eye is composed of segments of two spheres with nearly parallel axes that constitute the outside tunic and one of three fibrous layers enclosing two internal cavities separated by the crystalline lens. The smaller cavity anterior to the lens is divided by the iris into two chambers, both filled with aqueous humor. The posterior cavity is larger than the anterior cavity and contains the jelly-like vitreous body that is divided by the hyaloid canal. The outside tunic of the bulb consists of the transparent cornea anteriorly, constituting one fifth of the tunic, and the opaque sclera posteriorly, constituting five sixths of the tunic. The intermediate vascular, pigmented tunic consists of the choroid, the ciliary body, and the iris. The internal tunic of nervous tissue is the retina. Light waves passing through the lens strike a layer of rods and cones in the retina creating impulses that are transmitted by the optic nerve to the brain. The transverse and the anteroposterior diameters of the eye bulb are slightly greater than the vertical diameter; the bulb in women is usually smaller than the bulb in men.

Eye ache Attention seeking device or malingering of children especially during examination period or under educational stress or pressure.

Eye bank A facility for collecting and storing corneas of eyes for transplantation to recipients.

Eye hand coordination Indicates integrity of brain to move finger from nose to object and back again.

Feces Also called stool.

Familial Disease present in families

Family A group of people related by heredity, marriage or those living in the same household, who are emotionally attached, interact regularly and share concerns for the growth and development of the family and its individual members.

Family counseling Providing information and guidance to family, concerning specific health matters, such as care of a severely retarded child or the risk of transmitting a known genetic defect.

Family structure The composition of the family and relationships among members. In planning health care awareness of family's structure may be important.

Fetal attitude The relationship of the fetal parts to each other, such as the 'military' attitude, in which the fetal head is not flexed and the chin on chest is as usual but is held straight up.

Fetal lie The relationship of the long axis of the fetus to the long axis of the mother.

Fetal position The relationship of the part of the fetus that presents in the pelvis to four quadrants of the maternal pelvis identified by initial L (left), R (right), A (anterior), and P (posterior).

Fetal presentation The part of the fetus that first appears in the pelvis.

Flaccid paralysis Weakening or loss of muscle tone.

Flat feet Normal up to 6 months age. See pes planus

Flexion A movement that decreases the angle between two adjoining bones.

Footboard A board placed at the foot so that the feet rest firmly against the board, the legs at right angles to it, to maintain proper positioning of the feet. Its purpose is to retain normal posture and prevent footdrop.

Frequency: The number of complete cycles per second (relative of a sound wave). Measured in hertz.(1 cycle=1Hz.).

Functional Affecting the functions but not the structure of an organ.

Fundoscope See ophthalmoscope.

Fundus The base or the deepest part of an organ; the portion farthest from the mouth of an organ, such as the fundus of the uterus or the fundus of an eye.

Fungi Fungus reproduces by budding; spore formation. About 100 are common in humans and 10 are pathogenic.

Gain: In hearing aid terminology, gain is used in reference to an increase in the intensity of sound due to amplification.

Gait Manner of walking, including rhythm, cadence, and speed.

Gait disorder Abnormal manner of walking, due to neuromuscular, arthritic, or other body changes. The body's center of gravity may change

Genetic Pertaining to genetics or heredity

Genetics Science of heredity.

Genu valgum Legs are curved inward so that the knees are close together, knocking as the person walks, with the ankles widely separated. Also called knock-knee.

Genu varum Legs are bent outward at the knee. Also called bow leg.

German measles See rubella.

Gifted child A child with superior intelligence quotient.Thesechildrenneed specialopportunities appropriate to their aptitude to utilize their intelligence for better performance.

Glaucoma An abnormal condition of elevated pressure within an eye because of obstruction of the outflow of aqueous humor. Acute (angle closure, closed-angle, or narrow-angle) glaucoma occurs if the pupil in an eye with a narrow angle between the iris and cornea dilates markedly, causing the folded iris to block the exit of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber. Chronic (open-angle or wide-angle) glaucoma is much more common, often bilateral; it develops slowly and is genetically determined. The obstruction is believed to be within the canal of Schlemm

Gregarious people They need company of others and are lonely by themselves. Nature of the company is not important for them.

Gonorrhoea Sexually transmitted, affecting the genitourinary tract, pharynx, conjunctiva, or rectum. Infection results from contact with Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Group therapy Psychotherapy, group motivation, lactation management, thalassemia, leukemia, scholastic backwardness are the condition where group therapy in instituted.

Hair pulling A habit disorder See trichotillomania.

Habit disorder A tension discharging phenomena like head banging, body rocking, thumb sucking, nail biting, hair pulling, teeth grinding, stuttering.

Handicapped Congenital or acquired mental or physical defect that interferes with normal functioning of the body

Hansen's disease See leprosy.

Headache May be psycho somatic,malingering, attention seeking device

Head banging A habit disorder, self damage ,to frighten and punish parent. Mental retardation, brain damage children also indulge in head banging.

Hearing The special sense that enables sound to be perceived. hearing loss, mild impairment to complete deafness. See also deafness.

Hearing aid An electronic device that amplifies sound for people with impaired hearing.

Hearing Level: Hearing level as recorded by pure tone threshold audiometry in dBHL; also called hearing threshold level(HTL).

Heat treatment Works better on sore, stiff joints.

Hemiplegia Paralysis of one side of the body.

Hereditary Characteristic transmitted from parent to offspring

Herpes Herpes simplex virus (HSV), affinity for skin and CNS, blisters on the skin and mucous membranes.

Hertz (Hz) A unit measure of the frequency of sound, ie the number of complete cycles/second.

Hip dislocation congenital Head of the femur does not articulate with the shallow acetabulum

Homeopathy 'like cures like.' homeopathists dilute drugs , the smallest dose to control the symptoms.

Hormone Chemical substance produced in one part of the body that regulates the activity of another part

Hydrocephalous Abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the cranial vault.

Hygiene Science of preservation of health and prevention of disease.

Hyper activity Increased activity of entire organism or organ.

Hypermetropia, hypermetropy See hyperopia.

Hyperopia Farsightedness, a condition resulting from an error of refraction in which rays of light entering the eye are brought into focus behind the retina.

Hypertelorism Increased distance between inner canthi of both the eyes.

Hyperbilirubinemia of the newborn High bilirubin in neonate, deficiency of an enzyme, physiologic immaturity, increased hemolysis, blood group incompatibility, can lead to kernicterus.

Hysteria Tension or excitement in a person, temporary loss of control over the emotion.

Immunology Reaction of immune system to antigenic stimulation.

Impedance: The degree of resistance offered by a given system to the flow of acoustic energy.

Incomplete dislocation Partial separation of articular surfaces of a joint. Also called subluxation.

Incontinence Inability to control urine or stool

Individualised education program Curricular material and classroom activities appropriate for a given child.

Infantile Relating to infants or infancy.

Infectious disease Caused by pathogenic microorganisms.

Infestation Presence of animal parasites

Infectious Capable of causing infection.

Information input disorders Learning disability, computer model, blocks in receiving information, visual, auditory, tactile, sensory.

Information out-put disorders: Learning disability, computer model, difficulty in written or spoken expression, learning by avoiding known difficulties.

Information processing disorders: learning disability, computer model, inability to organize or process the information, sequencing problem.

Inherited Genetically determined .

Intelligence The ability to acquire, retain, and apply experience, understanding, knowledge, reasoning, and judgment in coping with new experiences and in solving problems.

Intelligence quotient (IQ) Mental age divided by chronologic age multiplyed by 100. Average IQ is considered to be 100.

Internal ear The complex inner structure of the ear, containing receptors for two different functions. The maculae and cristae cells help maintain equilibrium while the organ of Corti cells translate sound vibrations into impulses for the sense of hearing. The auditory receptor cells are innervated by the cochlear nerve. Also called inner ear, labyrinth. Compare external ear, middle ear.

Intestine Alimentary canal from pyloric opening of the stomach to the anus. It includes the small and large intestines.

Iritis Inflammation of the iris

Irrational expectations A gap between expectations and achievement, disturbs interpersonal relationship.

Joint capsule Fibrous connective tissue envelope surrounding a joint.

Juvenile Pertaining to a young person

Juvenile delinquency Antisocial, illegal, or criminal behavior by children or adolescents

Karyotype Photographs of chromosomes cut and pasted in descending order of size and according to the position of the centromere.

Kernicterus Effect of high bilirubin on brain of a newborn.

Kilohertz(KHZ): A unit of frequency equal to 1000 Hz.

Koch's spine Tuberculosis of spine.

Knee jerks See patellar reflex.

Knock knees See genu valgum.

Kyphoscoliosis Anteroposterior and lateral curvature of the spine.

Kyphosis Convexity in the curvature of the thoracic spine as viewed from the side, caused by rickets or tuberculosis of the spine.

Lathyrism A poisonous variety of lentils causes paralysis from lathyrism.

Learning disabilities Normal intelligence, difficulty in learning, reading, writing and numeric calculation.

Learning process Acquiring knowledge or skill by means of study, practice or experience.

Leg length Weaker leg grows slower and becomes shorter.

Legg perthes disease See Perthes disease.

Lens A curved transparent piece of plastic or glass that is shaped, molded, or ground to refract light in a specific way, as in eyeglasses, microscopes, or cameras.

Leprosy Caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Tuberculoid leprosy, thickening of cutaneous And anesthetic Skin lesions. Lepromatous leprosy, plaques and nodules in the skin, iritis, keratitis, destruction of nasal cartilage and bone. Blindness may result.

Ligament Fibrous tissue binding joints, connecting bones and cartilages.

Limb Extremity of the body, arm or leg.

Lip reading Speech reading. Start teaching when child is three years old.

Lisping Defective pronounciation of one or more of sibilant consonant sounds like s, h.

Locomotor Pertaining to locomotion, moving from a place to place.

Locomotion Movement from one place to another.

Long term goals The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed.

Long term memory The ability to recall sensations, events, ideas and other information for long periods of time without apparent effort.

Lordosis Anterior concavity if observed from the side.

Macula A small pigmented area or a spot that appears separate or different from the surrounding tissue.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Medical imaging that uses radiation as its source of energy.

Malingering Willful and deliberate feigning of the symptoms of a disease to gain some consciously desired end.

Medico social worker Masters degree and experience in counseling patients and their families in a hospital setting.

Memory To recall previous information.

Memory, Short term Memory of recent events.

Meningitis Infection or inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

Mental Relating to mind

Mental age (MA) The age level at which one functions intellectually

Mental disorder Disturbance of emotional equilibrium, maladaptive behavior and impaired functioning

Mental handicap Mental defect , impaired intellectual functioning

Mental health Person adjusts to the stresses of everyday living in an acceptable way.

Mental retardation Subaverage intelligence,impaired ability to learn and adapt socially.

Mental illness See mental disorder.

Microbiology Study of microorganisms, algae, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, and rickettsiae.

Microcephaly A congenital anomaly, small head, under developed brain, some mental retardation.

Microscope An instrument with lenses for viewing very small objects. An electron microscope uses a beam of electrons instead of visible light.

Middle ear The tympanic cavity and the auditory ossicles contained in an irregular space in the temporal bone. It is separated from the external ear by the tympanic membrane and from the inner ear by the oval window. The eustachian tube carries air from the posterior pharynx into the middle ear. Compare external ear, internal ear.

Milestones of development Steps of development to be achieved as per age norms to enter in to the next stage of development.

Mimic spasm Involuntary, stereotyped movements of a small group of muscles, Psychogenic, aggravated by stress or anxiety . Also called tic. Habit disorder.

Mongolism See Down's syndrome.

Motor neuron Efferent nerve cells that transmit nerve impulses from the brain to muscules.

Muscle Fibers that contract, cause movement of the parts. striated muscle, smooth muscle.

Muteness Inability to speak.

Multidiciplinary health care scheme: a group of health care workers. Who are members of different disciplines each one providing different service to the patient. Persons with disabilities require a team of trained people to help them.

Multisensory teaching programme A teaching program that uses all sense at a time to give information to child's brain. eg. Flower, picture, smell, feel, bud, fruit, seed, plant, flower.

Muscle relaxant The drug that reduces the contractility of muscle fibers.

Mutation Unusual change in genetic material. Genes are stable. Mutation is transmitted to future generations.

Myelomeningocele See spina bifida

Myopia A condition of nearsightedness caused by the elongation of the eyeball or by an error in refraction so that parallel rays are focused in front of the retina. Some kinds of myopia are chronic myopia, curvature myopia, index myopia, and pathologic myopia.

Narrow Band Noise: Bandpass filtered noise where the central frequency coincides with that of the test tone. This sort of noise is used for masking in pure tone audiometry. It is an effective masker since it's energy is concentrated within the critical band for the specific test tone.

Natal Pertaining to birth.

Nerve Fibers that carry impulse to and from brain to other parts of the body.

Nerve conduction test Electrical test, integrity of the peripheral nerves, electric stimulator is placed over a nerve, time required for an impulse to travel the nerve is measured. Used in diagnosis of nerve entrapment syndrome, polyneuropathies.

Nerve deafness See sensorineural hearing loss.

Neurology Science of the nervous system .

Neuroses Mental disorder characterized by various anxiety symptoms

Neurotransmitter Chemicals that modify transmission of nerve impulses between synapses.

Night blindness Poor vision at night or in dim light, synthesis of rhodopsin, vitamin A deficiency, retinal degeneration, or congenital defect. Also called nyctalopia.

Noise: A complex, periodic acoustic stimulus distinguished by its characteristically 'random' form,ie by the absence of any repeating pattern.

Non Organic Hearing Loss: A hearing loss which cannot be attributed to physiological causes. Sometimes associated with malingering or central deafness.

Non social people: they cannot mix in the group, cannot play a social role, and have abnormal social attitude.

Nuclear scanning Injected or ingested radioactive material, scanning for determining the size, shape, location, and function of various body parts.

Nyctalopia Poor vision at night or in dim light, decreased synthesis of rhodopsin, vitamin A deficiency, retinal degeneration, or a congenital defect.

Occupational disability Worker unable to do job because of disease or accident related to his occupation.

Occupational therapy Purposeful activity to help maximum independence in case of disabilities.

Opposition Thumb and other digits of the hand to grasp objects between thumb and fingers.

Ophthalmoscope Advice for examining the interior of the eye. It includes a light, a mirror with a single hole through which the examiner may look, and a dial holding several lenses of varying strengths. The lenses are selected to allow clear visualization of the structures of the eye at any depth. If the patient or the examiner ordinarily requires extensive correction of a refractive error, the examination may require that the corrective lenses normally worn be worn for the examination.

Ophthalmologist Doctor who specializes in eye diseases and surgery.

Ophthalmology Science of the eye and disorders .

Optic atrophy Wasting of the optic disc resulting from degeneration of fibers of the optic nerve and optic tract. In primary optic atrophy the disc is white and sharply margined, the central depression (physiologic cup) is enlarged, and the optic foramen of the sclera is clearly seen. In secondary atrophy the disc is gray, its margins are blurred, the depression is filled in, and the foramen is difficult to detect. Optic atrophy may be caused by a congenital defect, inflammation, occlusion of the central retinal artery or internal carotid artery, alcohol, arsenic, lead, tobacco, or other toxic substances. Degeneration of the disc may accompany arteriosclerosis, diabetes, glaucoma, hydrocephalus, pernicious anemia, and various neurologic disorders.

Optic chiasm A point near the thalamus and hypothalamus where portions of each optic nerve cross over.

Optic disc The small blind spot on the surface of the retina, located about 3 mm to the nasal side of the macula. It is the only part of the retina that is insensitive to light. At its center the porus opticus marks the point of entrance of the central artery of the retina.

Optic foramen An aperture in the root of the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone transmitting the optic nerve.

Optician A person who grinds and fits eyeglasses and contact lenses by prescription.To become an optician, a person must graduate from high school and complete a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship. In some states licensure is required.

Optometry The practice of testing the eyes for visual acuity, prescribing corrective lenses, and recommending eye exercises.

Orthopedics Science of skeleton, muscles, joints.

Orphans Child without parent or relatives.

Orthotist A person who designs, fabricates, and fits braces or other orthopedic appliances prescribed by physicians.

Orthopedic surgeon A doctor concerned with treatment of musculoskeletal system mainly by manipulative and operative methods.

Osteogenesis imperfecta Genetic disorder, autosomal dominant trait, defective development of the connective tissue, brittle and fragile bones, fractured by the slightest trauma. Also called brittle bones.

Osteopetrosis Inherited disorder, autosomal recessive, increased bone density, obliteration of the bone marrow, severe anemia, deformities of the skull, compression of the cranial nerves, deafness, blindness , early death. A milder, benign form, autosomal dominant.

Osteomyelitis Infection of bone and bone marrow, Staphylococci most common .

Otoscope An instrument used to examine the external ear, the eardrum, and, through the eardrum, the ossicles of the middle ear. It consists of a light, a magnifying lens, and a device for insufflation.

Palmar crease A normal groove across the palm of the hand.

Pandemic Disease throughout the population of a country, or the world.

Papilledema Swelling of the optic disc, visible on ophthalmoscopic examination of the fundus of the eye, caused by increased intracranial pressure. The meningeal sheaths that surround the optic nerves from the optic disc are continuous with the meninges of the brain; therefore increased intracranial pressure is transmitted forward from the brain to the optic disc in the eye to cause the swelling.

Paraplegia Paralysis with motor or sensory loss in the lower limbs and trunk.

Patellar reflex A sharp tap on the tendon just distal to the patella causes extension of the leg at the knee. The reflex is hyperactive in disease of the pyramidal tract above the level of the second lumbar vertebra. Also called knee-jerk reflex.

Paralysis Loss of muscle function . Classified according to cause, muscle tone, distribution, or the part of the body affected.

Parallel bars Useful for able and disabled children for exercise.

Paraffin bath Application of heat to a specific area of the body through the use of paraffin. The part is quickly immersed in heated liquid wax and then withdrawn so that the wax solidifies to form an insulating layer. The procedure is repeated until the layer is 5 to 10 mm thick, and then the entire area is wrapped in paper towels. for arthritis and rheumatism or any joint condition.

Parasite Organism obtaining nourishment from another organism.

Parathyroid gland Four in number, attached to the thyroid gland. secrete parathyroid hormone, helps blood calcium

Pathology Study of the effects of disease in the body.

Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Screening test, Should not be relied upon for accuracy of diagnosis. Suggests problem areas to be looked into.

Pediatrics Science of development and care of children.

Perceptual problems A disorder that interferes with the conscious mental recognition of sensory stimuli.

Perthes' disease Destruction (Epiphyseal necrosis) of the cap or growth center on the head of the femur in children.

Pes planus Flattening out of the arch of the foot. Also called flatfoot.

Pharmacokinetics Action of drugs within the body,

Pharmacotherapy The use of drugs to treat diseases.

Phobias Anxiety disorder obsessive, irrational, intense fear of specific objects.

Physical abuse One or more episodes of aggressive behavior, usually resulting in physical injury.

Physical handicaps Physical defect that interferes with normal functioning.

Physiology Processes and function of the human body.

Physiotherapy Treatment of disorders with physical agents and methods. Such as massage, manipulation, therapeutic exercise, cold, heat (including short wave, microwave, ultrasonic diathermy) hydrotherapy, electric stimulation and light to assist in rehabilitating patients and restoring normal function after an illness or injury.also called physical therapy

Pica A craving to eat substances that are not food such as dirt, clay, chalk, glue, ice, starch or hair.

Pitch: The perceptual correlate of the frequency of and acoustic stimulus. Measured in units called mels.

Play therapy A form of psychotherapy in which a child plays in protected and structured environment with games and toys provided by a therapist, who observes the behavior, affect and conversation of the child to gain insight into thoughts, feelings, and fantasies.

Poliomyelitis Infectious disease caused by one of the three polioviruses. Transmitted through fecal contamination . Asymptomatic infection, abortive poliomyelitis, nonparalytic poliomyelitis, paralytic poliomyelitis, spinal poliomyelitis, bulbar poliomyelitis.

Polio vaccination A vaccine prepared from poliovirus to confer immunity to it. TOPV, the trivalent live oral form of vaccine, is recommended for all children under 18 years of age. TOPV is called Sabin vaccine. First dose is given at birth. Three doses are given along with DPT or Triple injection at monthly interval. Booster OPV doses at 1 1/2 and 4 years. Pulse polio doses are given to all the children below 5 years of age on one day to give a pulse to the immunity.

Position Posture of the body ( anatomic position, lateral recumbent position, or semi -Fowler's position)

Presbyopia Farsightedness resulting from a loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye.The condition commonly develops with advancing age.

Pre vocational training Training in basic work skills as required for a typical employment setting.

Prolonged gestation Pregnancy that lasts longer than the usual time of 41 weeks.delivery the birth of a child; parturition

Pronation Assumption of a prone position, ventral surface of the body faces downward.

Prosthesis artificial replacement for a missing part of the body (artificial limb or total joint replacement , hearing aid. maxillofacial prosthesis, Starr-Edwards prosthesis.)

Procedure Steps to be followed in course of action.

Progressive Disease signs / symptoms become more severe.

Psychiatric social worker Counseling in dealing with social, emotional, or environmental problems pertaining mental illness.

Psychologic Pertaining to psychology.

Psychology Study of behavior and functions and process of mind. Types: analytic, animal, clinical, cognitive, experimental humanistic, social

Psychopath Person who has an antisocial personality disorder.

Psychoses Mental disorder, gross impairment in reality testing.

Psychosocial assessment An evaluation of a person's mental health, social status, and functional capacity within the community.

Psychosocial development Normal serial development of trust, autonomy, identity and intimacy.

Psychosocial Pertaining to a combination of psychologic and social factors.

Psychosomatic problems Interaction of the mind and the body. disorders.

Psychotherapy Psychologic technique to treat mental and emotionalproblems.

Quadriplegia Paralysis of all the four limbs.

Radiology Diagnosis and treatment using radiant energy.

Reading disorders Reading ability is below intellectual capacity. Tests show the problems does not involve mental retardation, chronological age or inadequate schooling, but is marked by faulty oral regarding, slow reading and reduced comprehension.

Regression of milestones Loss of function achieved by the child earlier. In malnutrition or certain diseases of the brain milestones might regress.

Refractive error Defect in the ability of the lens of the eye to focus an image accurately, as occurs in near sightedness or for far sightedness

Rehabilitation Restoration to normal or near normal function after a disabling disease, injury, addiction.

Rehabilitation center A facility providing therapy and training for rehabilitation. The center may offer occupational therapy, physical therapy, vocational training, and special training, such as speech therapy.

Remedial education Educational plan designed to help retarded child.(physical, mental , social, or emotional development)

Retina A10-layered, delicate nervous tissue membrane of the eye, continuous with the optic nerve, that receives images of external objects and transmits visual impulses through the optic nerve to the brain. The retina is soft, semitransparent, and contains rhodopsin, which gives it a purple tint. The retina becomes clouded and opaque if exposed to direct sunlight. It develops from the embryonic optic cup in the eighth month of pregnancy and consists of the outer pigmented layer and the nine-layered retina proper. These nine layers, starting with the most internal, are the internal limiting membrane, the stratum opticum, the ganglion cell layer, the inner plexiform layer, the inner nuclear layer, the outer plexiform layer, the outer nuclear layer, the external limiting membrane, and the layer of rods and cones. The outer surface of the retina is in contact with the choroid; the inner surface with the vitreous body. The retina is thinner anteriorly, where it extends nearly as far as the ciliary body, and thicker posteriorly, except for a thin spot in the exact center of the posterior surface where focus is best. The nervous fibers end anteriorly in the jagged ora serrata at the ciliary body, but the membrane of the retina extends over the back of the ciliary processes and the iris. See also Jacob's membrane, macula, optic disc.

Retinopathy A noninflammatory eye disorder resulting from changes in the retinal blood vessels.

Retinoscopy A procedure for examining the eyes for possible errors of refraction. The examiner shines a light into the eyeball and notes the movements of reflex from the fundus. This indicates the types of lenses needed to neutralize the refractive errors.

Rheumatic fever Delayed reaction to inadequately treated streptococcal infection May affect the brain, heart, joints, skin, or subcutaneous tissues. Fever, joint pains, nose bleeds, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Polyarthritis, carditis, chorea, erythema marginatum, subcutaneous nodules

Rheumatoid arthritis juvenile Autoimmune collagen disease. Fever, joint swellings, peripheral joints, skin above the joint affected, deformity, pain, organ involvement, remissions and exacerbation.

Rickets Vitamin D deficiency, soft bones, bowlegs, knock-knees, enlargement at ends of the bones, large skull, chest deformities, spinal curvature, enlarged liver and spleen, sweating. Prophylaxis and treatment include a diet rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D and adequate exposure to sunlight.

Retinitis pigmentosa Hereditary, bilateral, degeneration of the retina, begins in Childhood, blindness by middle age. Night blindness, reduced visual fields, and pigmentation of the retina, macular degeneration, and eventually, total loss of vision.

Scissoring gait A manner of walking cross-legged, as spastic paraplegia.

Scoliosis Lateral curvature of the spine, a common abnormality of childhood.

Separation anxiety disorder In elementary grades, fear of school, oversensitive shy, timid, nervous, emotionally immature, feeling of inadequacy. Become overdependent on the parents

Scurvy: Lack of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the diet. weakness, anemia, edema, spongy gums, loose teeth, mucocutaneous hemorrhages, and induration of the muscles of the legs. Treatment ,ascorbic acid, fresh vegetables and fruits.

School phobia:

Sensorineural hearing loss Sound conducted normally through the external and middle ear but a defect in the inner ear or auditory nerve results in hearing loss.

Sensory nerve A nerve that conducts sensory impulses from the periphery of the body to the brain or spinal cord.

Sign language Communication with deaf, hand and body movements. Many variations exist.

Skeletal muscle See striated muscle.

Skin graft Skin implanted in burns, injury . The graft is taken from the patient's own body. split-thickness, full-thickness, pedicle, and mesh grafts.

Slurred speech Words are not clear or complete, but are run together.

Social behavior assessment scale Information from others regarding a patient's functioning.

Social breakdown syndrome Progressive deterioration of social and interpersonal skills in long term psychiatric patients.

Social class People with similar values, interest, income, education and occupations.

Social deviance Behavior that violates social standards, anger, resentment, and a desire for punishment in a significant segment of the society.

Social isolation Absence of family and friends.

Social mobility The process of moving upward or downward in the social hierarchy.

Social motivation An incentive or drive resulting from a sociocultural influence that initiates behavior toward a particular goal.

Social people Fit in any social group, play approved social role,have healthy social attitudes

Social problems Social development is the most vulnerable part in development. Problems in the process of socialization and problems with the social environment both can affect learning. .

Social phobia Anxiety disorder, avoidance of scrutiny by others, such as speaking, eating, or performing in public or using public lavatories or transportation.

Social psychiatry Study of social influences on the development and course of mental illness.

Social readjustment rating scale A scale of 43 common life events that disrupt individual's life.

Social sanctions: The measures used by a society to enforce its rules of acceptable behavior.

Social worker Deal social, emotional and environmental problems associated with an illness or disability.

Socialization One learns to live with the expectations of a group or society. Adjustment to accommodate inner drives to the demands of external realty.

Socioeconomic status The social - economic position of an individual, considering education, income, occupation, residence, heritage and religion.

Somnambulism Sleepwalking.

Spasticity Increased tone with weakness in a limb .

Special educator Special educator find right way of teaching a child that can not pursue the education in a normal way. Children with handicaps need their help.

Specific learning disability Inability to learn in-spite of normal intelligence. Information input, processing, output disorders, dyslexia etc.

Speech Communication by spoken words.

Speech center A unilateral area in the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus and usually on the side opposite to the dominant hand.

Speech defects Defect in pronunciation. Lisping, slurring, stuttering, Cluttering.

Speech dysfunction Abnormality of speech.

Speech-language pathologist A graduate in communication, its development, and disorders..

Speech pathology Diagnosis and treatment of abnormalities of speech

Speech reading Speaker's lip, facial movements, with residual hearing , gestures body language are observed as a means of communication

Speech synthesizer Electronic apparatus with a keyboard that produces sounds that imitate the human voice.

Speech therapy Correction of speech and language disorders.

Spina bifida Congenital developmental anomaly in the posterior vertebral arch. May be associated with meningocele or myelomeningocele

Spinal cord Structure lodged in the vertebral canal. The cord conducts sensory and motor impulses to and from the brain and controls many reflexes. The cord is an extension of the brain.

Spinal curvature Deviation of the vertebral column from its normal position. Kinds of spinal curvature are kyphoscoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, and scoliosis.

Squint (strabismus) Mal alignment of the eyes.

Stammering Speech disorder, involuntary process in speech, spasmodic pauses, hesitations while speaking Also called stuttering.

Stanford- Binet Test (SBT): Intelligence test.

Statistics Mathematics concerned with measuring, classifying, and analyzing objective information.

Striated muscle Tissue of all skeletal muscles

Subacute Less than acute

Subluxation Incomplete dislocation.

Supination The palm of the hand turns up. Lying on the back, face up.

Sympathy Showing interest in feelings of other person.

Socioeconomic status Position of an individual on a social-economic scale.

Temper tantrums: A conduct disorder, attention-seeking device. Parent has to physically separate from the child. A child handing problem.

Tendon Band of tissue that attach muscle to bone. Tendons are extremely strong, flexible, and inelastic.

Thorpe Developmental Inventory (TDI): Screening test, Should not be relied upon for accuracy of diagnosis. Suggests problem areas to be looked into.

Thumb sucking: Habit disorder. the habit of sucking the thumb for oral satisfaction. Normal in infants. in older children, may be indicative of some emotional problem

Thyroid gland In front of the neck, secretes thyroxin essential to normal body growth

Tics: Repetitive movement of muscle groups. Tension releasing. Habit disorder.

Timbre : Sensation related to the quality of sound.

Tinnitus : Sensation of sound which arises in the head or ears of the sufferers.

TORCH syndrome: Infection of the fetus or newborn by one of the TORCH agents. Toxin a poison produced by plant or microorganism. endotoxin, exotoxin.

Toxoplasma: Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite of cats and other hosts that causes toxoplasmosis in humans.

Trichotillomania Desire to pull out one's hair, seen in severe mental retardation.

Trachoma : Chronic infection of the eye, Chlamydia trachomatis, inflammation, pain, photophobia, and lacrimation, follicles on the upper eyelids, invade the cornea, blindness. Tetracycline, erythromycin, and topical sulfonamides usually provide effective treatment. Teaching an affected population about the spread of trachoma and having an adequate water supply for washing hands, towels, and handkerchiefs are important factors in eliminating the disease. A preventable and potentially curable cause of blindness.

Truancy: A habit of running away from school

Trunk balance: The ability to maintain postural control of the trunk

Tympanic membrane A thin, semitransparent membrane in the middle ear that transmits sound vibrations to the internal ear by means of the auditory ossicles. It is nearly oval in form, with a vertical diameter of about 10 mm, and separates the tympanic cavity from the bottom of the external acoustic meatus. Also called eardrum, membrana tympani.

Tympanogram : The graphic representation of middle ear compliance under changing pressure conditions.

Ultrasonography Imaging deep structures of the body, reflection of sound waves.

Un-social people They are ignorant of group expecations. So behave differently. Not accepted by the group.

Urinary infections See urinary tract infection.

Urinary tract infection Infection in the urinary tract. frequency, burning, pain with voiding, blood and pus in the urine.

Urinary problems in handicaps: See bladder , bowel management

Vaccination Injection administered to induce immunity and prevent diseases.

Vegetative existence Profound mental retardation. Child does not have physical, mental or emotional capability.

Virus A minute parasitic microorganism More than 200 viruses have been identified as capable of causing disease in humans.

Vision The capacity for sight.

Visual accommodation A process by which the eye adjusts and is able to focus, producing a sharp image at various, changing distances from the object seen. The convexity of the anterior surface of the lens may be increased or decreased by contraction or relaxation of the ciliary muscle. With increasing age the lens becomes harder and less flexible, resulting in a loss of accommodation, and, usually, of the ability to focus on nearby objects. Compare presbyopia.

Visual acuity The sharpness or clearness of vision.

Visual evoked potential (VEP) An evoked potential elicited by a repeatedly flashing light or a pattern stimulus. It may be used to confirm optic nerve or visual pathway damage.

Visual field defect One or more spots or defects in the vision that move with the eye, unlike a floater. This fixed defect is usually caused by damage to the retina or visual pathways, such as by chorioretinitis, traumatic injury, macular degeneration, glaucoma, or a vascular occlusion of the eye or the brain. Sudden loss of a noticeable portion of the visual field warrants ophthalmologic examination. Defects in the field of vision may be detected using an Amsler grid.

Visual handicap Partial or total blindness disturbed visual function.

Visual-motor coordination The ability to coordinate vision with the movements of the body or parts of the body.

Visual pathway A pathway over which a visual sensation is transmitted from the retina to the brain. A pathway consists of an optic nerve, the fibers of an optic nerve traveling through or along the sides of the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate body of the thalamus, and an optic tract terminating in an occipital lobe. Each optic nerve contains fibers from only one retina. The optic chiasm contains fibers from the nasal portions of the retinas of both eyes; these fibers cross to the opposite side of the brain at the optic chiasm. The fibers from the temporal portion of each eye bypass the optic chiasm and pass through the lateral geniculate body on the same side of the brain, and continue back to the occipital lobe. Thus the optic tracts, occipital lobe, lateral geniculate bodies of the thalamus, and optic chiasm each contain nerve fibers from both eyes. If the right optic tract were destroyed, a person would lose partial vision in both eyes--the right nasal and the left temporal fields of vision.

Visual perception Understanding the visual sensory stimuli.

Vocational training

Volkmann's contracture A serious, persistent flexion contraction of forearm and hand caused by lack of blood supply

Voluntary muscle Striated muscle. .

Vulnerable child Difficult family, social, environmental circumstances make a child vulnerable.

Wax therapy Wax bath, See paraffin bath.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC): Intelligence test. 10 Category test that gives both verbal and performance I.Q.

Weight traction Traction applied to a limb by means of a suspended weight.

Wheel chair A mobile chair, large wheels and brakes.

White Noise : broad band noise in which acoustic energy is distributed at approximately equal amplitude across a wide range of frequencies ( usually less than 6 KHz). Not a very effective masker in pure tone audiometry as the bandwidth is much wider than the critical band hence there is much dispersion of energy.

Wide range achievement tests Reports the grade level of achievement in reading, writing, spelling and mathematics.

Withdrawn behavior A behavior pattern in which child does not like interact with others, engrossed in himself.

Xerophthalmia: Dry and lusterless corneas and conjunctival areas, vitamin A deficiency, night blindness.