ADHD
– stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which is a behavioural condition causing hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour, usually noticed from a young age
Amniocentesis
– a medical procedure that takes fluid from within the amniotic sac (in which an unborn baby is growing within the uterus) in order to test for chromosomal abnormalities of the baby
Autism
– an umbrella term for a developmental disability, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which means a person has different ways of processing information, which may cause learning disability, communication or interaction difficulties, repetitive behaviours, and difficulty understanding feelings and sensory input
Cataracts
– a visual impairment that causes cloudiness in the eye’s lens, which often requires surgery to correct
Chorionic villus sampling
– a test that a woman can opt to have during pregnancy to test cells removed from the placenta, to test if the baby has a genetic condition
Chromosome
– a piece of DNA that stores genetic information
Coeliac disease
– an autoimmune disease that means the body’s immune system reacts to gluten when consumed (e.g. in foods containing flour, wheat, etc) and damages the intestine causing multiple digestive issues as well as other ill health symptoms
Conception
– when the egg and sperm meet and fertilise to create the beginnings of a foetus
Congenital heart defect
– a problem with the heart that is present from birth, and may include for example, a hole in the heart or narrowed valves
Genes
– part of a chromosome, made of DNA, which contains the code for how our body looks and functions and is inherited from our parents
Glaucoma
– a condition of the eye that involves pressure building up and damaging the optic nerve, but which can be treated with medication drops if diagnosed early enough
Glue ear
– a condition of the ear that is caused by fluid or mucus build up in part of the tubes in the ear, which can cause temporary hearing loss but is treatable
Nuchal translucency
– a test done in pregnancy to measure the thickness of the fluid that sits at the back of a baby’s neck, with a thicker that average result suggesting the baby may have Down’s syndrome or other chromosomal or heart abnormalities – requiring further testing
Nystagmus
– uncontrolled or involuntary eye movements