Abstract logical thinking – The ability to solve problems using imagination without having to be involved practically.
Adolescence - An important status change following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a child to adult.
Antenatal care – Care provided for a mother and her baby before the birth of the baby.
Cognitive impairment – A condition in which an individual has trouble remembering, learning skills, concentrating or making decision that affect day-to-day life.
Conservation – The ability to reason logically that a certain quantity will remain the same despite change in its shape or appearance.
Culture – The beliefs, language, styles of dress, cooking, religion or ways of behaving shared particular group of people.
Depression – A mental disorder in which the individual is unable to cope with daily life and experiences feelings of worthlessness.
Deprivation – Being deprived of a caregiver to whom an attachment already exists.
Development – is the acquisition of new skills, knowledge and abilities for example, being able to count, write and handle our own feelings.
Developmental norms – A description of an average set of expectations with respect to a young child’s development.
Egocentric thinking – Not being able to see a situation from another person’s point of view
Fine motor skills – Involve smaller movements using the small muscles in the body that require precise dexterity.
Gross motor skills – Large movements that involve using the larger muscles of the body, which are required for mobility.
Genetic predisposition - increased likelihood of developing a particular disease based on a person's genetic makeup.
Growth – An increase in height and weight, which is easily measured.
Hormones – Chemical substances produced in the body and transported in the blood that control or regulate body organs.
Hypothermia – A body temperature lower than normal range.
Informal care – Care and support provided by family and friends, normally unpaid and in addition to health professionals.
Insecure attachment – Applies to infants whose caregivers are inconsistent in the care they provide.
Maturation – A genetically programmed sequence of change, e.g. the onset of menopause.
Menopause – When a woman’s menstrual cycle gradually stops and she is no longer able to become pregnant naturally.
Milestone – An ability achieved by most children by a certain age.
Nature – Genetic inheritance and other biological factors; all aspects of a person that are inherited.
Nurture – The influence of external factors after conception e.g. social and environmental factors that shape behaviour and development.
Negative reinforcement – The behaviour is not repeated to avoid an adverse experience such as lack of satisfaction or being told off.
Positive reinforcement – The behaviour is repeated to receive a positive experience such as a reward.
Puberty – A period of rapid growth which young people reach sexual maturity and become biologically able to reproduce.
Secure attachment – The attachment or bond between an infant and its primary caregiver is strong so that the infant feels confident to explore the environment using the caregiver as a safe base.
Self-concept – Sense of identity formed during early childhood, an awareness that the individual is different and a unique person.
Self-esteem – The confidence a person feels about himself or herself, self-worth or pride, value based on how we have been treated by others.
Self-image – The mental image a person has of himself or herself, the way an individual sees himself or herself.
Separation anxiety – The fear or apprehension that infants experience when separated from their primary care giver.
Susceptibility – An increased likelihood of acquiring a disease because of an individual’s genetics.
Unpredictable events – Events that happen unexpectedly and which have physical or psychological effects on an individual, can be positive or negative.
Vulnerability – A state where individuals are at risk to harm, injury or exploitation due to factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation etc.
Wellbeing - A general sense of happiness and contentment with life.
stooping- changes in posture and compression of spinal discs.
pollutant- A substance that contaminates something such as air or water and may make it unsafe.
Informal relationships- develop within families and significant people in individuals’ lives, they start in infancy and develop into strong bonds as they built on trust and understanding.
Formal relationships- develop in different contexts between people who are not related or friends, for instance between colleagues and managers or teachers and students.