Family health A-Z - P

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

A doctor who specialises in the care and treatment of babies and children.

A combination of drugs, often given by injection into the thigh, to ease the pain of labour and/or the discomfort of a Caesarean.

The general name given to various opiates, anaesthesetics and analgesics used to ease the pain of labour.

A pain-relieving, fever-reducing drug which does not contain aspirin or an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen.

Unpaid time off for working parents in order to care for a child or children under the age of five. Not everyone is eligible. Check with Directgov at www.direct.gov.uk.

Paid time off for fathers after the birth of a baby. Not everyone is eligible. Check with Directgov at www.direct.gov.uk.

Also known as: Head lice

Minute, grey-brown, wingless insects which live on blood sucked from the scalp of humans. Their eggs, which look like tiny white specks similar to scurf, are known as nits and they are laid close to the scalp all along the hairline, and stuck fast with a sticky substance produced by the lice. The medical term for an infestation of head lice -particularly prevalent in schoolchildren - is ‘pediculosis’.

Also known as: Balanitis

Balanitis is inflammation of the head of the penis (the glans), caused by a bacterial infection, most commonly Candida albicans, which is also responsible for thrush. The foreskin may be affected too.

Also known as: Centile chart

Centile charts, also known as percentile charts or Child Growth Charts, are used to monitor a child's growth regularly, and are usually contained in a child’s Personal Child Health Record (red book).

Serious infection or inflammation of the peritoneal cavity, usually caused by a ruptured organ, such as the appendix, in the gastrointestinal tract. If not treated promptly, complications from peritonitis can prove fatal.

Also known as the red book, the Personal Child Health Record is given to all new parents and is used to chart growth and development and immunisations, as well as offering advice on health and development matters.

Also known as: Whooping cough

An infectious disease of childhood which is now rare in the UK thanks to the immunisation programme. Also known as ‘pertussis’, whooping cough is characterised by violent bouts of coughing followed by a ‘whooping’ intake of breath.

Abnormal tightness of the foreskin which prevents it from being drawn back. Can result in infections because of the inability for the penis to be cleansed thoroughly. If it doesn’t resolve naturally, circumcision may be performed

Inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection and affecting one or both lungs. Symptoms include a cough, pain on breathing, nausea and fever. Pneumonia is usually treated with antibiotics.

A disease of the spinal cord which can cause differing degrees of paralysis, but which has been largely eradicated in the UK by the introduction of the immunisation programme. The last known case of polio in the UK occurred in 1982.

A large birthmark of purplish colour, usually on the face or neck, affecting around 3 in 1,000 babies. Laser treatment in early childhood can be very effective.

The term used when a baby brings back some of a milk feed. Sometimes referred to as ‘spitting up’.

A community establishment, run by a qualified playleader with parent volunteers, which accommodates children aged two-and-a-half to starting school, allowing them to learn and play in small groups, usually in morning-only or afternoon-only sessions.

Medically known as ‘miliaria’, prickly heat can occur in response to excessive sweating in hot or humid weather. Dead skin cells and bacteria block the sweat glands so that the skinbecomes inflamed with a spotty rash which may go on to blister.

Sudden vomiting so vigorous that the vomit is projected to some distance – perhaps across a room. If persistent, the underlying cause needs to be investigated and treated. See also ‘pyloric stenois’.

A narrowing of the pylorus - the lower part of the stomach through which food and other stomach contents pass to enter the small intestine. In babies, the muscles in the pylorus have become enlarged to the point where food is prevented from emptying out of the stomach, resulting in projectile vomiting. The problem is corrected by surgery.