Parenting 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

Analogous: In anatomy, similar in appearance or function but otherwise different. Two stru...

Anterior: The front, as opposed to the posterior. The anterior surface of the heart is tow...

Anterior cruciate ligament: A ligament in the knee that crosses from the underside of the ...

Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

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

Cruciate: Cross-shaped.

Extended family: The family group consisting not only the nuclear family (the parents and ...

Father: (1) The male parent. (2) One who originates. For example, "Wilhelm Roentgen is con...

Infant: A young baby, from birth to 12 months of age.

Ligament: A tough band of connective tissue that connects various structures, such as two ...

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

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

Myriad: A great number, a very large number, a huge number of something.

Nutrition: 1) The science or practice of taking in and utilizing foods. 2) A nourishing ...

Obese: Well above ones normal weight. A person has traditionally been considered to be obe...

Objective: In a microscope, the objective (also called the objective lens) is the lens nea...

Offspring: The progeny, or young, born to a person. In a larger sense, the offspring are c...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Tactile: Having to do with touch. For example, tactile signs of disease are signs that are...

Tear: A drop of the salty secretion of the lacrimal glands which serves to moisten the con...

Toddler: A young child who is learning to walk with short unsteady steps. The word toddle ...

Umbilical cord: The cord that connects the developing fetus with the placenta while the fe...