Meningitis in Children Glossary of Terms

1. Take the Meningitis Quiz
2. View the Ear Infection Slideshow
3. Childhood Illnesses Parents Should Know

Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some example...

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

Airway: The path that air follows to get into and out of the lungs. The mouth and nose are...

Anesthetic: A substance that causes lack of feeling or awareness, dulling pain to permit s...

Antibacterial: Anything that destroys bacteria or suppresses their growth or their ability...

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms. ...

Antiviral: An agent that kills a virus or that suppresses its ability to replicate and, he...

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 pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Blood-brain barrier: A protective network of blood vessels and cells that filters blood fl...

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

Brain swelling: See: Cerebral edema.

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

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Catheter: A thin, flexible tube.

CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US agency charged with tracking a...

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 X-ray: A type of X-ray commonly used to detect abnormalities in the lungs. A chest X...

Circulation: In medicine, the movement of fluid through the body in a regular or circuitou...

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

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

CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

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 ...

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...

Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain, which may be caused by a bacterium, a virus, or a...

Escherichia coli: Full term for E. coli, the colon bacillus.

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

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

Fifth disease: An oddly named disease caused by a virus called parvovirus B 19. (In the pr...

Flu: Short for influenza. The flu is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract w...

Focal: Pertaining to a focus which in medicine may refer to:
1. The point at ...

Fungi: Plural of fungus.

Fungus: A single-celled or multicellular organism. Fungi can be true pathogens (such as hi...

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. ...

Heart rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute. The heart rate ...

HIB: Haemophilus influenzae type B.

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...

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

Indication: 1. In medicine, a condition which makes a particular treatment or proce...

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

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Influenza: The flu is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract which are divide...

Intensive care: See critical care.

Intubation: The process of putting a tube into a hollow organ or passageway, often into th...

Kernig sign: A sign indicating the presence of meningitis (inflammation of the meninges co...

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

Lethal: Deadly.

Lethargy: Abnormal drowsiness, stupor.

Listeria: A group of bacteria capable of causing illness including potentially fata...

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...

Measles: An acute and highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever, runny nose,...

Meninges: The three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (singular: meninx).

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

Meningococcal meningitis: Inflammation of the meninges due to infection with the bacterium...

Mumps: An acute (sudden, shortlived) viral illness that usually presents with inflammation...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

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...

Neisseria: A group of bacteria that includes the bacterium that causes gonorrhea.

Otitis: Inflammation of the ear. Depending upon which part of the ear is inflammed, there ...

Otitis media: Inflammation of the middle ear characterized by the accumulation of infected...

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

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

Paralysis: Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one mu...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

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

Polio: Abbreviation for poliomyelitis, an acute and sometimes devastating disease caused ...

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...

Pulse: The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart. Pulse is...

Rabies: A potentially fatal viral infection that attacks the central nervous system. Rabie...

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

Red blood cells: The blood cells that carry oxygen. Red cells contain hemoglobin and it is...

Rehabilitation: The process of helping a person who has suffered an illness or injury rest...

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Respiratory rate: The number of breaths per minute or, more formally, the number of moveme...

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

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...

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

Sinusitis: Inflammation of the lining membrane in any of the hollow areas (sinuses) of the...

Spinal cord: The major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain and lies with...

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

Streptococcus: A group of bacteria that causes a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Swelling of the brain: See: Cerebral edema.

Temple: The area just behind and to the side of the forehead and the eye, above the side o...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

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...

Vaccination: Injection of a killed microbe in order to stimulate the immune system against...

Vaccines: Microbial preparations of killed or modified microorganisms that can stimulate a...

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...

Vital: Necessary to maintain life. For example, breathing is a vital function.

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