Glossary 451
substance abuse.
Misuse of drugs to a toxic,
dangerous level. (9)
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Unexpected death for unknown reasons
during the first few months of a baby’s life. (4)
synonyms.
Different words with the same
meanings. (11)
syntax.
Refers to sentence structure. (7)
T
team member.
A person who works with other
members of the group to help achieve a common
goal. (15)
telegraphic speech.
When two words are combined,
usually a verb and a noun. (6)
temperament.
A part of personality that reflects how
a person interacts with the environment. (5)
temper tantrums.
Emotional episode of upset
behavior usually experienced by a toddler that may
involve yelling and crying. (6)
testosterone.
Hormone that is important in the
development of the male reproductive system and
characteristics. (11)
tinnitus.
A ringing sound in the ears. (12)
toddlers.
Children between the ages of
1 and 3 years. (6)
trust versus mistrust.
Erikson’s stage in which
infants must learn to develop trust relationships
with their caregivers. (5)
U
umbilical cord.
The tube of veins that connects the
placenta with the baby (at the site later called the
belly button). (4)
unconditional love.
Love without limits or
exceptions. (10)
universal design.
Housing design that meets the
physical needs of people of all ages and abilities. (11)
unoccupied play.
When a baby observes and focuses
on an object or activity. (5)
V
very low birthweight.
Babies that weigh less than
3.5 pounds at birth. (4)
viral STIs.
Sexually transmitted infections caused by
viruses and cannot be cured. (4)
visual acuity.
The ability to visually perceive
objects sharply at a given distance based on a fixed
standard. (11)
voice cracking.
Sporadic voice octave changes
in males that occur when the vocal chords are
lengthening and thickening during puberty and
adolescence. (9)
W
weight management.
Achieving and maintaining a
healthy weight over time. (9)
widow.
A woman who has lost her husband to
death. (12)
widower.
A man who has lost his wife to death. (12)
windows of opportunity.
Ideal time frames for
optimizing the development of critical skills because
the brain is most receptive to learning. (7)
work ethic.
A personal belief in the value of work
and its ability to strengthen character. (15)
work generativity.
Giving back to future generations
by passing on work knowledge, skills, and cultural
values. (11)
Z
zone of proximal development (ZPD).
The level
at which a child can learn with help, as theorized by
Vygotsky. (6)
zygote.
The cell that results from fertilization between
a sperm and an egg. (4)