Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «I»:
-
Infantile autism
Infantile autism: (Also called autism.) A spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication,
and unusual and repetitive behavior. Some, but not all, people with autism are non-verbal.
Autism is normally diagnosed before age six and may be diag...
-
Infantile beriberi
Infantile beriberi: Disease in infants due to deficiency of thiamine. This disease is well-known in undeveloped countries among malnourished infants but it is very rare in developed countries. It can occur if a breastfeeding mother has an inadequate intake of thiamine. The disease can also occur i...
-
Infantile genetic agranulocytosis
Infantile genetic agranulocytosis: Children born with this
condition lack neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that is
important in fighting infection). These children suffer frequent
infections from bacteria which in the past led to death in three-
quarters of cases before 3 years of age. Th...
-
Infantile hypothyroidism
Infantile hypothyroidism:
Hypothyroidism (subnormal activity of the thyroid gland)
that starts after birth and is manifest by features
including delays in growth and development and myxedema
surfacing during infancy. Myxedema is a dry waxy type of
swelling, often with swollen lips and nose....
-
Infantile myxedema
Infantile myxedema:
Hypothyroidism (subnormal activity of the thyroid gland)
that starts after birth and is manifest by features
including delays in growth and development and myxedema
surfacing during infancy. Myxedema is a dry waxy type of
swelling, often with swollen lips and nose. Infan...
-
Infantile paralysis (polio)
Infantile paralysis (polio): Infantile paralysis is
an old synonym for poliomyelitis, an acute and sometimes devastating
viral disease. Man is the only natural host for poliovirus. The virus
enters the mouth and multiplies in lymphoid tissues in the pharynx
and
intestine. Small numbers of virus...
-
Infantile spasms
Infantile spasms: A seizure disorder of infancy and early childhood with the onset predominantly in the first year of life of myoclonic seizures, hypsarrhythmia (abnormal, chaotic electroencephalogram), and mental retardation. The spasms are sudden, brief contractions of one or more muscle groups, a...
-
Infantile systemic hyalinosis
Infantile systemic hyalinosis: A genetic disorder characterized at birth or soon afterwards by painful swollen joint contractures and red pigmentation over bony prominences. Pearly papules (little bumps) and fleshy nodules then develop in the skin. Overgrowth of the gums and thickened skin are also ...
-
Infantile thiamine deficiency
Infantile thiamine deficiency: See: Infantile beriberi....
-
Infantile vitamin B1 deficiency
Infantile vitamin B1 deficiency: See: Infantile beriberi....
-
Infantilism, Brissaud's
Infantilism, Brissaud's: An
eponym that is little used (in the USA) for hypothyroidism
(subnormal activity of the thyroid gland) that starts after
birth and is manifest by features including delays in
growth and development and myxedema surfacing during
infancy. Myxedema is a dry waxy type of...
-
Infarct
Infarct: An area of tissue
death due to a local
lack of oxygen.
For example, in a myocardial infarction there is death of
myocardial (heart muscle) tissue due to sudden (acute) deprivation
of
circulating blood. This is usually caused by arteriosclerosis with
narrowing
of the coronary arterie...
-
Infarction
Infarction: The formation of an infarct, an area of
tissue death due to a local lack of oxygen.
For example, in a myocardial infarction there is death
of myocardial (heart muscle) tissue due to sudden (acute) deprivation
of circulating blood. This is usually caused by arteriosclerosis with
narro...
-
Infarction, acute myocardial
Infarction, acute myocardial: See: Acute myocardial infarction....
-
Infection
Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person.
The term "in...
