Glossary

There are 358 entries in this glossary.
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Term Definition
Sacral Dimple

dimple at the top of the tail bone

Schizophrenia

severe, persistent, debilitating, and poorly understood psychiatric disorder that includes disturbances in thoughts (or cognitions), mood (or affects), perceptions, and relationships with others.

Scoliosis

crooked spine that curves laterally

Secondarily generalized seizures

start as a partial seizure (in one limited area of the brain) but then (sometimes so quickly that the partial seizure is hardly noticed) spread throughout the brain, becoming "generalized."

Secondary lymphedema

results from an identifiable damage to or obstruction of normally-functioning lymph vessels and nodes.

Sensory Processing Disorder

a condition that exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses.

Shortness of breath

breathlessness; difficulty breathing

Sign language

language that employs signs made with the hands and other movements, including facial expressions and postures of the body, used primarily by people who are deaf.

Simple partial seizures

seizures which affect only a small region of the brain; there is no impairment of consciousness

Single Palmar Crease

one crease extends across the palm of the hand instead of the three creases that are usually seen

Skin Tags

small, fleshy growths on the skin

Sleep Apnea

temporary interruption of breathing during sleep

Social anxiety

anxiety (emotional discomfort, fear, apprehension, or worry) about social situations, interactions with others, and being evaluated or scrutinized by other people.

Sotos Syndrome

rare genetic disorder characterized by excessive physical growth during the first 2 to 3 years of life

Specific phobia

generic term for any kind of anxiety disorder that amounts to an unreasonable or irrational fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

group of inherited diseases that cause progressive muscle degeneration and weakness, eventually leading to death.

Spinal tap

procedure performed when a doctor needs to look at the cerebrospinal fluid (also known as spinal fluid). also referred to as a lumbar puncture

Strabismus

wandering eye, the eye seems misaligned

Stroke

an interruption of the blood supply to any part of the brain

Subpial transection

procedure used to help control seizures that begin in areas of the brain that cannot be safely removed. surgeon makes a series of shallow cuts (transections) in the brain tissue which interrupt the movement of seizure impulses but do not disturb normal brain activity, leaving the person's abilities intact.

Supernumerary teeth (extra teeth)

developmental abnormality resulting in the formation of "extra copies" of one or more teeth.

Supplements

something added to complete a thing, make up for a deficiency, or extend or strengthen the whole.

Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

fast heart rhythm disorder originating in the atria

Swallowing difficulty

occurs when there's a problem with any part of the swallowing process.