Skip to main content
-
analgesic
-
drug or medication that reduces pain or discomfort
-
apnea
-
stopped breathing
-
axillary temperature
-
temperature taken under the arm (in the armpit)
-
baby acne
-
common short-term skin condition that causes papules and pustules to break out on a baby’s face, chest, or scalp
-
bacterial meningitis
-
bacterial infection in the lining of the brain and spinal column
-
breast milk jaundice
-
(also:
late-onset breast milk jaundice
) jaundice occurring in the first 3 to 5 days of life and lasting 3 weeks to as long as 3 months for some infants
-
breast-feeding jaundice
-
(also:
early-onset jaundice
) type of jaundice in which bilirubin levels of >12 mg/dL develop in 13 percent of breast-fed infants by 1 week of life; most commonly caused this early in breast-fed infants by insufficient intake
-
circumcision
-
surgical removal of the foreskin, the layer of skin that covers the glans (head) of the penis
-
cluster feeding
-
when an infant chooses to space several feedings closely together with little time between the end of one feeding and the beginning of another
-
colostrum
-
first breast milk produced in breast-feeding
-
concavity
-
curving in of a surface
-
cord care
-
keeping the cord stump and surrounding skin clean and dry, which prevents infection and helps the stump to fall off and the navel to heal more quickly
-
COVID-19
-
infectious illness caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that became a pandemic disease in 2020
-
cradle cap
-
(also:
seborrheic dermatitis
) common, harmless skin condition on an infant’s scalp that presents as yellow, scaly patches with a red rash
-
crepitus
-
crackling or crunching sound made by the damaged bone
-
cyanosis
-
blue tint to skin and lips
-
dermatitis
-
skin inflammation
-
diaper rash
-
common form of dermatitis (skin irritation) in the diaper area of the buttocks, thighs, and genitals
-
donor breast milk
-
milk from lactating persons who pump or express breast milk and donate it to a regulated breast milk bank, following their policies and procedures
-
early-onset jaundice
-
(also:
breast-feeding jaundice
) type of jaundice in which bilirubin levels of >12 mg/dL develop in 13 percent of breast-fed infants by 1 week of life; most commonly caused this early in breast-fed infants by insufficient intake
-
eczema
-
common skin condition that causes patches of skin to become dry, itchy, and scaly
-
erythema toxicum neonatorum (ETN)
-
skin condition in newborns that causes a red rash and small, fluid-filled bumps on the face and/or limbs
-
fissure
-
crack, opening, or split in the skin or tissues of the body, such as the anus from stooling
-
gastroesophageal reflux (GER)
-
spitting up of liquid or food, when the stomach contents move back up from a baby’s stomach into the esophagus
-
grunting
-
while breathing out (expiratory grunting), the infant’s way of trying to keep air in the lungs so they will stay open
-
hyperbilirubinemia
-
increase in the concentration of bilirubin in the serum
-
hypoglycemia
-
blood glucose level below 40 mg/dL in the term infant; a common transient occurrence in the immediate postbirth period
-
immunization
-
process by which someone becomes protected against a disease through injections into the skin, nasal spray, or by mouth
-
influenza
-
viral illness that can cause many of the same symptoms as the common cold but is accompanied by severe body aches and higher fever; commonly referred to as the flu
-
intercostal retraction
-
sucking-in between the ribs when the infant breathes in
-
jaundice
-
hyperbilirubinemia in which the skin and sclera of the eyes of the newborn may appear noticeably yellow due to the breakdown of fetal red blood cells
-
kernicterus
-
type of brain injury that can result from high levels of bilirubin in the baby’s blood
-
lethargy
-
lack of movement and energy, out-of-the-ordinary sleepiness
-
nasal flaring
-
when the nostrils flare out with each breath
-
nonphysiologic jaundice
-
(also:
pathologic jaundice
) jaundice that may appear in the first 24 hours of life
-
omphalitis
-
life-threatening infection of the umbilical cord
-
physiologic jaundice
-
(also:
developmental jaundice
) jaundice not present in the first 24 hours of life in term infants
-
physiologic regurgitation
-
(also:
reflux
) spitting up of stomach contents in infants, or reflux, that occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter muscle lets the stomach contents back into the esophagus because it is not fully developed
-
respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
-
contagious virus causing an illness that is more serious than a cold or upper respiratory infection
-
seborrheic dermatitis
-
(also:
cradle cap
) common, harmless skin condition on an infant’s scalp that presents as yellow, scaly patches with a red rash
-
sepsis
-
bacterial infection in the blood
-
serum
-
amber-colored, protein-rich liquid that separates out when blood coagulates
-
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
-
unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby that is less than a year old
-
swaddling
-
traditional practice of wrapping up a baby gently in a light, breathable blanket to help them feel calm and sleepy, thereby offering comfort
-
temporal artery thermometry
-
measures the temperature of the blood flowing through the temporal artery on the forehead
-
transcutaneous bilirubin (TCB) monitor
-
painless handheld light meter that is routinely used to scan for bilirubin in the skin
-
transient neonatal pustular melanosis (TNPM)
-
normal and harmless skin condition that affects term newborns and presents with skin bumps, pustules, or blisters anywhere on the infant’s body
-
transitional stool
-
stool that follows meconium and is yellowish-green
-
tympanic thermometer
-
thermometer that uses an infrared ray to measure the temperature inside the ear canal
-
umbilical cord granuloma
-
small nodule of tissue, which can measure up to 1 cm, that may become evident after the separation of the umbilical cord
-
umbilical hernia
-
hernia caused by a small hole in the muscular part of the abdominal wall that allows the tissue to bulge out when there is increased abdominal pressure (e.g., crying)