Category: C

Careful examination of any setting in which young children will spend any amount of time, to remove from it or place out of reach (in a closed closet or on an upper shelf, for example) anything that might prove a danger to the child, such as marbles, nuts, buttons, or removable parts (which might be…

A child who demonstrates unusual and superior talent at a very early age, especially in music or the arts, such as a child who begins composing music on the piano at age three.  

A government-sponsored program to identify young children at risk for having a learning disability or other disability that could affect learning. The purpose of these and similar programs, mandated by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, is to identify as early as possible (preferably before kindergarten or first grade) children who need intervention or…

A technique used in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Forcible depression of the thorax during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This technique is used to circulate the blood of a patient whose heart is no longer beating effectively enough to sustain life. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a life-saving procedure, involves the implementation of chest compressions, also known as external cardiac massage.  

An over-the-counter form of birth control that uses a slightly cup-shaped soft sponge, saturated with a spermicide, to form both a physical and chemical barrier to sperm. Before intercourse, the sponge is inserted into the vagina and positioned to cover the cervix. It should be left in place for at least six hours after intercourse…

A document confirming that a student attended school during certain specified periods. Such a certificate is often given to a student who will not be obtaining either a diploma or a certificate of completion, such as a student with MENTAL RETARDATION who has passed beyond normal school age but has attended school regularly, taking a…

In relation to child abuse and neglect, a collection of reports held in some central agency. Arrangements vary by state, but the purpose of the central register is to pro¬ vide a place for social workers and others to check, in cases of suspected child abuse, to see if any such reports have been filed…

Type of sleep apnea that is not caused by obstruction of air passage, but possibly by a brain malfunction. Absence of breathing during sleep that occurs when the respiratory center of the brainstem does not send normal periodic signals to the muscles of respiration. Observation of the patient reveals no respiratory effort, that is, no…

A type of food intolerance involving a sensitivity to gluten, the insoluble protein that is part of wheat, rye, barley, and some other grains; also called gluten-induced enteropathy (literally an ailment of the intestine caused by gluten). Celiac sprue runs in families and so may be a form of genetic disorder, but its exact pattern…

The age level at which a child is unable to complete any questions correctly on a standardized test, such as the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test, the opposite being the basal age.