Pediatrics terms

24 terms

Acute otitis media: An acute infection of the middle ear, common in young children because their eustachian tubes are smaller and positioned differently. Ear pain, fever, irritability, ear pulling and a red, bulging eardrum are typical. Some children are managed with watchful waiting and others with antibiotics. Teach pain and fever management, and advise against bottle-feeding lying down and smoke exposure; vaccination and breastfeeding help prevent it.
Asthma: Chronic airway inflammation causing recurrent, reversible bronchoconstriction in response to triggers such as allergens, infections, exercise, cold air and smoke. Wheezing, cough (especially at night), chest tightness and dyspnea are typical. During an attack, a silent chest, inability to speak and drowsiness signal a severe episode. Teach inhaler and spacer technique, trigger avoidance and the written action plan.
Atraumatic care: An approach to pediatric care that minimizes the physical and psychological distress children and families experience in hospital. Core principles: prevent separation from parents, explain procedures in age-appropriate ways, use topical anesthetics and distraction for painful procedures, perform procedures in a treatment room rather than the child's bed, and give the child choices where possible.
Bronchiolitis: A viral infection of the small airways, common in infants and young children and most often caused by RSV. It starts with a runny nose and progresses to cough, wheeze, tachypnea, retractions and feeding difficulty. Care is supportive: nasal suctioning, adequate fluids and oxygen if needed. Monitor work of breathing and oxygen saturation, and prevent spread with contact precautions and hand hygiene.
Child maltreatment: Physical, sexual or emotional abuse of a child, or failure to meet the child's basic needs (neglect). Injuries that do not fit the history, bruises at different stages of healing, unexplained fractures and delayed care-seeking are warning signs. Nurses are mandated reporters in Türkiye, the US and many other countries. Document findings objectively, keep the child safe and report following institutional protocol.
Congenital hypothyroidism: Thyroid hormone deficiency present at birth; untreated, it causes intellectual disability and poor growth. Many newborns have no signs, though some are less active and sleepy, feed poorly or are constipated. Newborn screening allows early diagnosis, and when hormone replacement starts in the first weeks, development is normal. Teach the family to give the medication every day.
Croup: An upper airway infection, usually in children aged 6 months to 3 years and often caused by parainfluenza virus. A barking cough, hoarseness and inspiratory stridor are typical, and symptoms worsen at night. Keep the child calm, because crying increases respiratory distress. Treat stridor at rest, retractions, cyanosis or altered consciousness as emergency signs.
Cystic fibrosis: An autosomal recessive disorder in which CFTR gene mutations thicken secretions, mainly affecting the lungs and pancreas. Recurrent lung infections, greasy, foul-smelling stools, poor growth and salty sweat are typical, and the sweat chloride test supports diagnosis. Teach chest physiotherapy and airway clearance, pancreatic enzymes taken with meals and snacks, and nutritional support.
Developmental milestones: Motor, language, social-emotional and cognitive skills most children gain within certain age ranges; for example, most infants smile socially by 2 months, sit without support by 9 months and walk between 12 and 18 months. Ask about milestones at every well-child visit; a missed milestone or the loss of an acquired skill calls for developmental screening and referral.
Epiglottitis: A rapidly worsening inflammation of the epiglottis, mostly caused by Hib bacteria, that can suddenly obstruct the airway, making it an emergency. Drooling, difficulty swallowing, a muffled voice and a tripod position are typical. It has become rare thanks to the Hib vaccine. Do not examine the throat with a tongue depressor, avoid upsetting the child, leave them in their position of comfort and keep emergency airway equipment ready.
Failure to thrive: Weight gain or growth well below what is expected for a child's age and sex, often defined as weight below the 5th percentile or a decline in weight percentile on the growth chart. Causes include inadequate intake, malabsorption, chronic illness and psychosocial factors. Review the feeding history, weigh and measure accurately and monitor weight gain closely.
Febrile seizure: A seizure with fever in a child aged 6 months to 5 years, without a central nervous system infection. A simple febrile seizure is generalized, lasts less than 15 minutes and does not recur within 24 hours; most cause no lasting harm. During a seizure turn the child on the side, make the surroundings safe, put nothing in the mouth and time it; a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes needs emergency treatment. Teach parents fever care and seizure first aid.
FLACC scale: A behavioral pain scale for infants and young children who cannot report pain verbally, scoring Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability. Each category scores 0–2, for a total of 0–10; higher totals mean more pain. Reassess after each pain intervention.
Fontanelle: A soft, membrane-covered gap between an infant's skull bones. The posterior fontanelle usually closes by about 2 months and the anterior between 12 and 18 months. A sunken anterior fontanelle in a calm infant suggests dehydration; a tense, bulging one suggests raised intracranial pressure. Palpate it with the infant upright and quiet.
Growth charts: Charts that compare a child's weight, length or height and head circumference with reference values for age and sex; the WHO Child Growth Standards are widely used for children under 5. The trend matters more than a single point: crossing percentile lines downward or staying below the 3rd percentile needs evaluation. Measure with calibrated equipment and correct technique.
Intussusception: Telescoping of one segment of bowel into the next, a mechanical bowel obstruction that mostly affects infants and toddlers (peak about 3–24 months). Bouts of severe abdominal pain with intense crying, during which the child pulls the legs up, come and go; vomiting and blood in the stool may follow. Colicky pain, a palpable abdominal mass and bloody stool form the classic triad, though fewer than half of children have all three. It is an emergency: most cases are reduced with an air or liquid enema, and surgery is needed if this fails or the bowel perforates.
Kawasaki disease: An acute systemic vasculitis of unknown cause, mostly in children under 5. Fever lasting at least 5 days comes with at least four of: bilateral conjunctivitis, changes of the lips and mouth, rash, swelling and redness of the hands and feet, and cervical lymphadenopathy; incomplete forms occur. The main complication is coronary artery aneurysm. Treatment is IVIG and aspirin; monitor fever, cardiac status and fluid balance, and tell the family that live vaccines such as measles and varicella are delayed for about 11 months after IVIG.
Newborn screening: Screening of all newborns to detect treatable congenital disorders before symptoms appear. In Türkiye the heel-blood program covers phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, biotinidase deficiency, cystic fibrosis, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and spinal muscular atrophy; hearing and developmental hip dysplasia have separate national programs. The first sample is taken after feeding has started, just before discharge, and the second in the first week at the family practice unit. Make sure results reach the family.
Oral rehydration therapy: Giving a glucose-electrolyte oral rehydration solution (ORS) by mouth to treat mild to moderate dehydration; glucose drives sodium and water absorption in the gut. WHO and UNICEF recommend ORS plus zinc for children with diarrhea. Offer small amounts often, by spoon if the child is vomiting, and continue breastfeeding. Juice and soft drinks can worsen diarrhea and are not substitutes for ORS.
Phenylketonuria: An inherited metabolic disorder in which phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency lets phenylalanine build up and damage the brain. Untreated, it causes severe intellectual disability, seizures and a musty odor of urine and sweat. Newborn screening detects it, and treatment is a lifelong phenylalanine-restricted diet with special formula. Products containing aspartame are avoided because aspartame contains phenylalanine.
Pyloric stenosis: Thickening of the pyloric muscle that blocks gastric emptying, usually in infants 2–6 weeks old. Progressive projectile, nonbilious vomiting after feeds, hunger right after vomiting and an olive-shaped abdominal mass are typical. Dehydration and hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis can follow. Treatment is surgical (pyloromyotomy); monitor fluids, electrolytes and weight.
Separation anxiety: The distress young children feel when separated from their parents, most marked in infancy and toddlerhood; hospitalization is one of its strongest triggers. It progresses through protest (loud crying, searching for the parent), despair (withdrawal, apathy) and detachment (superficial adjustment). Encourage parents to stay and take part in care, and keep home routines and favorite objects.
Sudden infant death syndrome: The sudden death of an apparently healthy infant under 1 year of age, usually during sleep, that remains unexplained after a full investigation. Risk is reduced by placing the baby on the back for every sleep on a firm, flat surface without pillows, blankets or toys, room-sharing without bed-sharing, avoiding smoke exposure and breastfeeding. Teach these safe sleep practices to every family.
Therapeutic play: Structured play that helps children understand illness and hospital experiences, express feelings and prepare for procedures. For example, a child may give a doll an injection to rehearse a procedure and voice fears. Choose play suited to the child's developmental level, and carry the worries you notice into the care plan.