Glossary

Every week, I update this glossary letter by letter to explain medical/scientific topics to children.

A

Allergy

The body has a strong army called the immune system. It protects you from real bad guys like germs. But sometimes, this army gets confused and sees something harmless, like dust or pollen, as a big enemy. So it launches an attack. This overreaction is called an allergy, and it can cause sneezing, itchy skin, red eyes, tummy troubles, or trouble breathing.

Anemia

Our body has special agents called red blood cells that deliver oxygen, like little trucks. When there are not enough or they do not work well, the body does not get enough oxygen. This is called anemia, and it can make you feel weak, tired, or short of breath, like dancing with your shoelaces tied together!

Antibiotics

When bad invaders called bacteria enter our body, they can make us sick. Our immune army fights hard to kick them out, but sometimes it needs a little help. That is when we use antibiotics—special medicines that help remove the bad bacteria. They are like backup heroes joining the battle to help you feel better!

Asthma:

The lungs are like a tree, full of branches. But asthma happens, the tiny branches inside get swollen and filled with sticky mucus. That makes it hard for air to pass through, like a blocked path in the forest.

Autism

Our brain is a super powerful tool filled with stars called neurons. These stars connect and form different constellations. Autism happens when the brain builds a unique constellation, which means it works in a different way. This can affect how someone talks, plays, or interacts with others. Autism is not a disease. It is a special way to be.

B

Bronchitis

Our body has an airway system that helps us breathe, and it looks like a tree with tiny branches called bronchioles. Bronchitis happens when tiny villains, germs, attack these little branches, making them sick, red, and swollen. Our body tries to fight back and makes a sticky liquid, kind of like condensed milk. But too much of this “condensed milk” makes us cough a lot!

Burns

When we touch something very hot, like a stove, or even something very cold, like ice for too long, our skin can get hurt. That’s called a burn. Imagine your mom or dad cooking a piece of meat — first the color changes, then it turns red or brown, and sometimes a little juice comes out. Burns on our skin can look red, swollen, or even form bubbles. But unlike dinner, burns hurt a lot, and our skin needs special care to heal and feel better again

Broken bone

Our bones are very strong, but if we fall badly or something hits us very hard, a bone can break. Imagine you are playing with your favorite toy and accidentally throw it — it might break into pieces! The same thing can happen with our bones. When a bone breaks, it takes time and care to heal. Doctors use special armor, like a hard plaster shell, to keep the bone pieces still and safe. This way, they can grow back together and become strong again.

Bleeding

Our body has a special liquid called blood. Blood is very important because it carries nutrients, oxygen, and other good things all around our body. When we get a cut, the blood comes out, kind of like when you bite into a juicy strawberry and the juice spills out! But we do not want to lose too much blood. That is why we need to press on the cut to stop the bleeding. If it is too big, we need to go see a doctor to help us to heal.

Bacteria

C

Cancer
Imagine your body is a garden, full of strong, beautiful plants and flowers — these are your cells. Tiny garden helpers (called genes) take care of them, helping them to grow healthy. But sometimes, the helpers do not work well. Then, some plants start growing wild and fast, like weeds.  This is called cancer.

Chicken Pox
This illness is caused by teeny-tiny germs (a virus). It covers your skin with red, itchy blisters — like little red chicken peas. It is very contagious, which means it spreads easily to other kids and family. To get better, you need to get rest and stay at home.

Cleft Lip
A cleft lip is when there is a small space in the upper lip. It happens while a baby is growing in the mommy’s belly. Doctors can do surgery to help fix the gap so the baby can eat, smile, and grow happy and healthy.

Caries (Tooth Decay)
Caries are sneaky villains (bacteria) that attack your teeth. They love sugar and will start making holes if you do not brush your teeth well. First, they leave white stains. Then they start biting into your teeth, which can hurt.

A dentist can help kick out the bacteria and repair the teeth, turning them into new ones again.

Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye)
This is when your eye gets pink, itchy, and not so pretty. This happens because tiny germs enter your eye and make you feel like a grain of sand is stuck in it.

Sometimes pinkeye gets better after a few days. But some kids need magical eye drops to make it back the normal.

D

Diabetes

Diabetes is when the sugar (called glucose) in the blood is too high.
Our cells need glucose to get energy and work well—just like your toy needs a battery to run.
But glucose cannot get into the cells all by itself. It needs a special car to carry it from blood into cells.

In diabetes, this car has problems. So the sugar stays stuck in the blood, and the cells don’t get all the energy they need to work well.

Deaf

A Deaf person is someone who doesn’t hear the same way other people do.

Imagine your ear like a tunnel with tiny special machines inside (called ossicles) that help the sound get louder. Sound travels into the ear like waves, touches those little machines, and helps you hear.

But sometimes, there are obstacles in the tunnel—or the machines don’t work quite right—so the sound doesn’t go through as it should. That’s when a person may not hear well, or may not hear anything at all.

Some Deaf people use sign language to talk with their hands. That’s an awesome way to communicate too!

DNA
Our body has its own special language called genetic information.
Every part of the body has a little book written in this language, and that book is called DNA.

DNA looks like a twisting ladder, and it gives instructions that help our cells work well —and help make each person who they are.

Everyone’s DNA is a little different. That is why each person is unique, like a own adventure story.

Dermatitis

Our skin works like bricks in the wall, together protect the skin from damage. But when something irritates the skin, making the bricks a bit more separated, you can feel rash, redness, swalling. This we call dermatitis.

Down Syndrome

Remember how our body has special books called DNA?
These books are grouped together into bigger packages called chromosomes—like shelves in a big library.

Most people have 46 chromosomes, organized in pairs. But in Down Syndrome, a baby is born with one extra chromosome. That means there is one shelf with three books instead of two!

This extra set of instructions can affect how the body and brain grow. People with Down Syndrome may have certain features, like a flatter face or eyes that tilt upward, and they might learn more slowly or need extra medical care, like help with their heart.

But just like everyone else, they have their own special story, filled with smiles, talents, and love.

Dermatitis

Your skin is like a wall made of tiny bricks, all stacked together to protect your body. But sometimes, something irritates the skin—like a strong soap, a bug bite, or even the weather. This can make the bricks spread apart a little, and the skin gets red, itchy, swollen, or bumpy. That is called dermatitis—a kind of rash that means the skin needs some extra care to heal and feel strong again.