Birth Injury Glossary - T
Understanding Birth Injury Terms and Definitions
The material contained in medical records and research materials usually contains words that are unfamiliar and new. The Cerebral Palsy Glossary contains definitions of terms and acronyms that are commonly associated with cerebral palsy.
Tachycardia
- Abnormally rapid heart rate, especially above 100 beats per minute. Tachycardia is one of two types of arrhythmia.
Tetanus
- An acute, often fatal disease that’s characterized by spasmodic contraction of voluntary muscles, especially those in the neck and jaw. Tetanus is usually caused by bacteria that enters through the body at an infected wound.
Thalamus
- A large oval area of gray matter within the brain that relays nerve impulses from the basal ganglia to the cerebellum. Both parts of the brain control and regulate muscle movement.
Thrombosis
- The formation of a blood clot (“thrombus”) that either blocks or partially blocks a blood vessel.
Traction
- A sustained, mechanic pull to treat muscular and skeletal disorders. Traction attempts to accomplish several things, including the alignment of the ends of a fracture, a termination of muscle spasms, and the relief of pain. There are many specialized forms of traction.
Type 1 Dip
- Early deceleration at the with the peak of contractions.
Type 2 Dip
- Late deceleration of the fetal heart rate; 30 seconds or more after the peak of contractions (See Fetal Heart Monitoring)