Fever in Children Glossary of Terms

1. Childhood Skin Problems Slideshow
2. Childhood Illnesses You Should Know Slideshow
3. Slideshow: Cold and Flu - Treating Your Child's Cold or Fever

Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Bacterial: Of or pertaining to bacteria, as in a bacterial lung infection.

Bladder: A hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. The kidneys filter waste f...

Blood count: The calculated number of white or red blood cells (WBCs or RBCs) in a cubic m...

Blood culture: A test designed to detect if microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi are ...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Caffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola...

Catheter: A thin, flexible tube.

CBC: A commonly used abbreviation in medicine that stands for complete blood count, a set...

Cerebrospinal fluid: A watery fluid that is continuously produced and absorbed and that fl...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

Chickenpox: A highly infectious viral disease also known medically as varicella -- in many...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Complete blood count: A set values of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. These meas...

Cough: A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs, typically in order to clear the lung airwa...

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

Ear: The hearing organ. There are three sections of the ear, according to the anatomy tex...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Endocrinology: The study of the medical aspects of hormones, including diseases and condit...

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Genital: Pertaining to the external and/or internal organs of reproduction.

Ginger: Ginger, the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, has been used as medicine in...

Glucose: The simple sugar that is the chief source of energy. Glucose is found in the bloo...

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

Hypothalamus: The area of the brain that secretes substances that influence pituitary and ...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

Immunization: Vaccination. Immunizations work by stimulating the immune system, the natur...

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Lumbar: Referring to the five lumbar vertebrae, the disks below them, and the correspondin...

Lumbar puncture: A procedure in which cerebrospinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Meningitis: Inflammation of the meninges, the three membranes that envelop the brain and t...

Metabolism: The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism. ...

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

Nurse: 1) A person trained, licensed, or skilled in nursing. 2) To feed an infant at the ...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

Pediatrics: The field of medicine that is concerned with the health of infants, children, ...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Pneumonia: Inflammation of one or both lungs, with dense areas of lung inflammation. Pneum...

Prematurity: Historically, the definition of prematurity was 2500 grams (about 5 1/2 pound...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy ...

Radiograph: In medicine, an X-ray or a film produced through X-ray.

Rash: Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. A rash can be caused by an underlying medical c...

Rectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until...

Remedy: Something that consistently helps treat or cure a disease.

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Respiratory system: The organs that are involved in breathing, including the nose, throat,...

Seizure: Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, which may produce a physical conv...

Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing. Medically referred to as dyspnea. Shortness ...

Sinus: 1. An air-filled cavity in a dense portion of a skull bone. The sinuses decr...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Spinal tap: Also known as a lumbar puncture or "LP", a spinal tap is a procedure whereby ...

Thermometer: A device used to measure the temperature of gaseous, liquid or solid matter ...

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of th...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Tympanic: 1. Pertaining to the tympanum (the eardrum).
2. Pertaining t...

Urethra: The tube that leads from the bladder and transports and discharges urine outside ...

Urinalysis: A test that is done in order to analyze urine. Because toxins and excess fluid...

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Urinary tract: The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These orga...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Viral: Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, if a person has a viral rash, the rash wa...

Viral infection: Infection caused by the presence of a virus in the body. Depending on...

Viruses: Small living particles that can infect cells and change how the cells function. I...

Vomit: Matter from the stomach that has come up into and may be ejected beyond the mouth, ...

X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...