Glossary of terms

adrenal hyperplasia

types of inherited disorders resulting from a deficiency of one of the enzymes involved in the production of adrenal steroids. Is characterized by genital abnormalities.

adrenal hypoplasia

a gene defect that causes life-threatening problems in the infant or child

adrenarche

sexual hair development

bone age

the calculation of skeletal maturation using an x-ray of the hand and wrist or knee

diabetes - type 1

a condition in which the body's immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Insulin allows glucose to enter the cells of the body to provide energy. Persons with type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections.

See also Diabetes types and disease managementAlexis undeterred by diabetesLauren controls Type 1 diabetes

diabetes - type 2

a condition in which the body either makes too little insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it makes to convert blood glucose to energy. Type 2 diabetes may be controlled with diet, exercise, and weight loss, or may require oral medications and/or insulin injections.

See also Diabetes types and disease managementAlexis undeterred by diabetes

euthyroid

normal thyroid hormone levels

gland

an organ in the body that produces hormones

goiter

enlargement of the thyroid gland

growth chart

graph that is used for plotting a child's growth. Growth charts are standards of expected, normal growth percentiles for a specific population.

gynecomastia

breast development in the male

hormone

a chemical mediator that circulates in the body fluid and produces specific effect from a target organ

hyperglycemia

a condition in which the amount of blood glucose (sugar) is higher than normal.

hyperkalemia

the presence of elevated amounts of potassium in the blood.

hypernatremia

the presence of elevated amounts of sodium (salt) in the blood.

hyperthyroidism

most common cause in children is Graves disease, an autoimmune thyroid disease

hypothyroidism

a treatable disorder, present at birth, or occurring later in life, in which an individual produces too little thyroid hormone.

Klinefelter syndrome

a chromosomal abnormality in boys characterized by taller than average stature, small firm testes, and often some breast development

See also Genetics, birth defects and metabolism

menarche

the onset of menses ("periods")

pituitary abnormalities

abnormalities of the pituitary gland, including hypopituitarism and growth hormone deficiency

precocious puberty

sexual development prior to the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boy

puberty abnormalities

abnormalities in the stage of human development that marks the transition from childhood to a sexually mature adult capable of reproduction

rate of growth

a calculation of the amount of growth over a specific period of time

span

measurement obtained from measuring from longest fingertip on right hand to longest fingertip on left hand

stature disorders

short stature may include constitutional growth delay, growth hormone deficiencis, genetic short stature; unusually tall stature may be linked to a variety of conditions

thelarche

breast development

thyroid storm

the sudden release of thyroid hormone; thyrotoxicosis

Turner syndrome

A combination of health problems in females caused by the absence of one sex chromosome, leaving a single X chromosome, or 45 total.

See also Genetics, birth defects and metabolism