Category: S

The early close relationship established between a mother (or other primary caregiver) and child as a result of the bonding process, in which the baby sees the mother as part of itself and the mother acts as a need-satisfying object to the child. Traditionally, the symbiotic stage was thought to extend from age three to…

Medical test that measures concentrations of salt in sweat, abnormally high concentrations of sodium and chloride being a common indicator of cystic fibrosis. Measurement of sodium and chloride concentrations in sweat to diagnose cystic fibrosis. Very high levels indicate the disease is present.  

An arrangement by which a woman agrees to become inseminated by a man, generally through artificial insemination, bear a child, and then give the baby for adoption to the man and his wife, who is unable to bear children herself. Though physically very simple, surrogate parenting is fraught with legal, emotional, and social pitfalls, including…

A family-like network of people chosen as close friends and supporters, often people with shared work, culture, interests, and neighborhoods.  

A serious eye condition that may involve loss of sight in one eye.  

An outgrowth of the rooting reflex, a desire that tends to last beyond such a reflex, sometimes being satisfied by a thumb or finger or by a pacifier; a kind of comfort habit. For many children sucking seems to be both part of the process of exploring their bodies and also a habit that offers…

Forming words with the lips or even whispering them during silent reading, a practice that can significantly slow a student’s reading speed but may be useful for those with reading difficulties, such as dyslexia.  

In education, a type of financial aid in which a student is given money to help meet the expenses of attending college or private school; unlike scholarships, loans must be repaid, but federal and other subsidies reduce the interest rate, making these loans very attractive, if taken out in the student’s name, such loans often…

A type of test in which the administrator’s handling of the test, observations, discretion, and rapport with the child very much affect the test score; often there are no “right” and “wrong” answers, and the test is designed to pull out information about the individual’s thinking, knowledge, and functioning. Examples include individual developmental screening tests,…

Problems that affect a couple’s ability to conceive a desired child but are not permanent and absolute infertility, or sterility, which is far more rare. Fertility considered to be less than normal.