Glossary

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Term Definition
Cardiomyopathy

disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should.

Cataract

clouding of the lens of the eye.

CBC and differential

determination of the quantity of each type of blood cell in a given sample of blood. Blood differential test measures the percentage of each type of white blood cell.

Cellulitis

inflammation or infection of the skin causing redness, swelling and tenderness

Cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD)

baby's head or body is too large to fit through the mother’s pelvis.

Cerebral Palsy

group of chronic neurological symptoms causing impaired control of movement, diagnosed usually before age 3.

CGH (Micro-Array)

comparative genomic hybridization is a high resolution genetic blood test using an array containing many DNA samples to determine the expression levels of hundreds or thousands of genes within a cell. This technology has most commonly been used to detect chromosomal abnormalities.

Chorea

abnormal involuntary movement disorder, one of a group of neurological disorders called dyskinesias.

Chronic bronchitis

inflammation of the bronchial tubes resulting in excessive secretions of mucus into the tubes, leading to tissue swelling that can narrow or close off bronchial tubes.

Chronic constipation

infrequent bowel movements or straining and difficulty passing stools.

Chronic diarrhea

one or more loose stools per day for approximately four consecutive weeks.

Chylous reflux

swelling and skin lesions, usually of the lower limbs of the body.

Cleft lip

one or two vertical fissures (clefts) in the upper lip; can be on one side only (unilateral) or on both sides (bilateral).

Cleft palate

opening in the roof of the mouth (the palate)

Clonic seizures

seizures defined by rhythmic jerking movements of the arms and legs, sometimes on both sides of the body.

Coarctation of the aorta

narrowing of the aorta, the large blood vessel that branches off your heart and delivers oxygen-rich blood to your body.

Colonoscopy

internal examination of the colon (large intestine) and rectum, using an instrument called a colonoscope. Typically requires sedation

Color blindness (color deficiency)

Difficulty discriminating between colors, typically red and green.

Commando Crawl

crawl using only the arms

Complement screening

blood test that measures the quantity or activity of complement proteins in the blood.

Complex partial seizures

type of partial seizure associated with disease of the temporal lobe and characterized by varying degrees of impairment of consciousness and automatisms, for which the patient is later amnestic.

Compression garments/bandages

panty hose and other clothes that compress the limbs or torso.

Compression Pump

massaging sleeve used to decrease swelling in the arms or legs caused by certain conditions, such as lymphedema.

Computed tomography (CT)

computerized x-ray to make 3D images of inside the body.

Conduct disorder

a behavioral and emotional disorder of childhood and adolescence. Children with conduct disorder act inappropriately, infringe on the rights of others, and violate the behavioral expectations of others.

Congenital abnormality

body defect that exists at birth.

Congenital heart disease

heart defect that exists at birth.

Corpus callosotomy

surgery to cut the nerve fibers that run between the two halves of the brain. Usually done to manage severe epilepsy.

Cortical Vision Impairment

vision loss due to brain damage, not eye problems.

CPAP

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. CPAP is air pressure applied with a mask to keep the airways open, usually to aid sleep.

CT Scan

computerized imaging technique that uses X-rays to create a 3-dimentional image of the body. Often used to look at the head, chest, abdomen (stomach and intestines), or bones.

Cyanosis

blueish discoloration of the skin due to poor circulation. Often seen on the hands, feet and around the mouth.

Cyclic Vomiting

sudden repeated attacks of severe vomiting that can last from hours to days

Cysts/blisters

internal round, soft, fluid-filled pockets that either be close to skin or inside organs (body parts) like brain and kidneys.

Debulking/ radical surgical procedures

surgical procedure used to reduce the amount of abnormal tissue but not necessarily completely remove it. Often used when a malignant tumor cannot be completely removed because of its location.

Deep Tendon Reflexes

involuntary jerks produced when certain spots on the limbs are tapped with a rubber hammer

Deep-seated infections including septice

serious infection involving the inside of the body. Can affect the blood (septicemia) or specific organs (like the liver, kidneys, etc).

Dehydration

significant loss of fluid (can result from diarrhea or vomiting)

Delayed Myelination

sheath that covers the nerve fibers which did not form at the usual stage of development

Dental antibiotic prophylaxis

routine use of antibiotics before a dental procedure. Often used for people who have artificial materials, implants or prosthetic devices in their body (hip replacement, heart valves, etc)

Depth perception problems

difficulty using both eyes together to judge depths or distances. Often due to strabismus, lazy eye or an injured eye.

Diabetes insipidus (vasopressin deficien

condition where the kidneys are not able to conserve water and there is excess urination. it is often due to an abnormality or lack of a hormone called vasopressin.

Diet controlled

use of nutrition and food to control disease. Often used to describe the ability to control blood sugar (diabetes) by eating the proper low-sugar foods or reducing salt intake to lower blood pressure.

Dilated Renal Pelvis

outlet of the kidney is enlarged where urine is passed into the ureter

Distichiasis syndrome

abnormal growth of eyelashes which can often rub on the inside of the eye. May occur alone or with other eyelid problems.

Dolicocephaly

a long, narrow head

Doppler/Duplex studies

ultrasound that measures blood flow and pressure in blood vessels.

Downslanting Palpebral Fissures

eye opening appears slanted downwards from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner of the eye

Drainage of ascitic fluid

removal of excess fluid in the abdomen (stomach) by use of a large needle and syringe.

DTaP vaccine

3 vaccines combined into one injection. protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. It's given as a series of 5 shots over a number of years.

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