Understanding the terms we use
A plain-language glossary of common pediatric and PHCA-specific terms, so you always know what a provider means.
AAP
American Academy of Pediatrics — the professional organization whose guidelines PHCA follows for well-child care and vaccines.
Acute Illness
A sudden onset of symptoms, like a fever or ear infection, that typically resolves with short-term treatment — what a same-day sick visit addresses.
Apgar Score
A quick assessment of a newborn's heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflexes and color, taken at 1 and 5 minutes after birth.
Asthma Action Plan
A written plan from your pediatrician outlining daily asthma medications and what to do when symptoms flare, often needed for school.
Atopic Dermatitis
The medical term for eczema — a common, chronic skin condition causing dry, itchy patches in children.
Bilirubin
A substance in the blood that causes newborn jaundice; PHCA checks levels in the first days of life if a baby appears yellow.
BMI Percentile
Body Mass Index adjusted for a child's age and sex, plotted on a growth chart to assess healthy weight range.
Board Certified
A pediatrician who has passed rigorous exams from the American Board of Pediatrics beyond their medical degree and residency.
Catch-Up Schedule
A personalized, accelerated vaccine timeline for a child who has fallen behind the standard CDC schedule.
CDC Immunization Schedule
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended timeline for childhood vaccines, which PHCA follows for every patient.
Conjunctivitis
Also known as pink eye — inflammation of the eye's surface, often from infection or allergies, common in school-age kids.
CRNP
Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner — an advanced-practice provider who can diagnose, treat and prescribe, working alongside our pediatricians.
Croup
A viral infection causing a distinctive barking cough and hoarse voice in young children, usually managed at home or with a sick visit.
Dehydration
A loss of body fluids, often from fever, vomiting or diarrhea, that a provider watches for closely in young children.
Developmental Screening
A brief check during well-child visits for speech, motor skills and social development compared to typical milestones for your child's age.
Failure to Thrive
A term for a child not gaining weight or growing as expected for their age, prompting closer evaluation and monitoring.
Febrile Seizure
A convulsion triggered by a rapid rise in fever, most common between 6 months and 5 years, usually brief and not harmful long-term.
Fluoride Varnish
A protective coating applied to a child's teeth during well visits to help prevent cavities before regular dental care begins.
Good Faith Estimate
A written estimate of expected charges for care, provided to self-pay or uninsured patients before a scheduled service.
Growth Curve
A chart tracking your child's height, weight and head circumference over time against standardized percentiles.
Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease
A common, contagious viral illness in young children causing mouth sores and a rash on the hands and feet.
HIPAA
The federal law protecting the privacy of your child's medical records and information.
IBCLC
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant — the credential held by PHCA's lactation support specialist.
Immunization Titer
A blood test that measures immunity to a specific disease, sometimes used to confirm vaccine protection.
Impetigo
A common, contagious bacterial skin infection in children, causing red sores that often crust over, usually treated with topical or oral antibiotics.
Jaundice
A yellowish tint to a newborn's skin and eyes caused by elevated bilirubin, common in the first week of life.
Lactation Consultant
A specialist who helps with breastfeeding challenges like latch, milk supply, and pumping.
Latch
How a baby's mouth attaches to the breast during feeding; a proper latch is key to effective, comfortable breastfeeding.
Meconium
A newborn's first stool, dark and tar-like, passed within the first day or two of life.
Milestone
A specific skill most children reach by a certain age — like sitting up, first words, or walking — tracked at well visits.
MMR Vaccine
The combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, given per the CDC schedule starting around 12 months.
Nebulizer
A device that turns liquid asthma or breathing medication into a mist a child inhales through a mask or mouthpiece.
Newborn Screening
A set of tests done shortly after birth to check for certain rare but serious conditions.
On-Call Physician
A PHCA doctor reachable 24 hours a day for urgent questions outside of normal office hours.
Otitis Media
The medical term for a middle ear infection — one of the most common reasons for a pediatric sick visit.
PA-C
Physician Assistant – Certified. A licensed clinician who examines, diagnoses and treats patients as part of PHCA's care team.
Percentile
A ranking showing how a child's height, weight or head size compares to other children of the same age and sex.
Preventive Care
Routine care — like well-child visits and vaccines — aimed at catching problems early or preventing them altogether.
Prior Authorization
Approval an insurance plan requires before covering certain referrals, tests or medications.
Referral
A recommendation from your pediatrician to see a specialist, coordinated by our care team including insurance authorization.
Reflux
Frequent spit-up in babies caused by immature digestive muscles; usually improves with age and rarely needs treatment.
RSV
Respiratory Syncytial Virus — a common seasonal virus that can cause cold-like symptoms in most children but more serious breathing trouble in infants.
Same-Day Sick Visit
An appointment reserved for acute illness on the day you call, separate from routine well-child scheduling.
Screen Time Guidance
AAP-based recommendations on age-appropriate media use, discussed at well-child visits for older infants and children.
Sports Physical
A checkup required by schools before participation in athletics, confirming a child is healthy enough to play safely.
Strep Throat
A bacterial throat infection confirmed with a rapid in-office test, treated with antibiotics to prevent complications.
Telehealth Visit
A video or phone appointment with a PHCA provider for certain non-urgent concerns that don't require an in-person exam.
Tympanometry
A quick, painless test measuring how the eardrum moves, used to help diagnose middle ear fluid or infection.
Umbilical Granuloma
A small area of leftover tissue at a newborn's belly button that can look moist or red as the umbilical cord heals.
Varicella Vaccine
The chickenpox vaccine, given in two doses per the CDC schedule starting around 12 months of age.
Vital Signs
Basic measurements — temperature, heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure — checked at the start of most visits.
Well-Child Visit
A scheduled checkup that tracks growth, development and milestones, and is when most vaccines are given.
Wheezing
A high-pitched whistling sound during breathing, often a sign of airway narrowing from asthma, a cold, or RSV.
No matching terms. Try a different search or letter.