Parasomnias

Minor sleep disturbances such as walking and talking while still asleep; usually disappear without special intervention as children grow older

Nightmares

Frightening dreams that usually happen in the latter half of the night and that may awaken the child from sleep; often recalled by the child in the morning

Night Terrors

Physical thrashing and vocal distress, which do not awaken the child from sleep; almost never recalled by the child; usually occur in the hour or two after falling asleep

Enuresis

Bed-wetting, which is kinked to genetic factors and whic usually disappears withoug special treatment as children grow older

Myelination

The process through which neural axons become coated witha fatty sheath of myelin, providign insulation and enabling rapid transmission of neural impulses

Hemispheres

In the human brain, the term for the two halves of the cerebral cortex, becaus they look like "half-spheres"

Handedness

The preference that most people show for completing skilled actions with one hand rather than the other

Ambidextrous

Lack of preference for right or left hand; ability to use either hand equally well

Gross motor skills

Motor skills that use the large muscles; examples are running and jumping

Fine motor skills

Motor skills that involve the use of small muscles; examples are fastening buttons and eating with a spoon

Activity Level

The amount of sheer physical movement that a child engages in per unit of time

Obesity

An overweight condition defined as people who weigh at least 30% more than the ideal weight for their height and age; in early childhood, those weighing more than 95% of children of the same age and gender

Booster seat

A type of safety seat used in a motor vehicle to restrain children who weigh 40-80 pounds, usually between 8 and 10 years of age

Ozone

A highly reactive form of oxygen that results primarily form theaction of sunlight on hydrocarbons emitted in feul combustion (e.g., from cars); a principal component of outdoor air polution, or smog

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Smoke from cigarettes and other tobacco products that exists in the environments of smokers; often called secondhand smoke

Neurotoxins

Chemical substances that are harmful to children's developing nervous systems, such as lead and mercury

Asthma

A condition that impairs breathing due to narrowing and inflammation of the air passageways triggered by allergens or other environmental substances

Allergens

Specific substances, such as pollens and evvironmental tobacco smoke, that may trigger allergic reactions among individuals who are allergic to them

Food Intolerance

A negative reaction to specific foods