Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

The number of people who die, on the average, in a specified group of a certain number, such as one per 1,000 newborns.  

A genetic disorder resulting from a defect in a specific enzyme; one of a group of disorders called mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS). Characteristics of Morquio’s syndrome are retarded growth often resulting in dwarfism and abnormal muscular and skeletal development (chondrodysplasia) leading to kyphosis (excessive curvature of the spine), enlarged breastbone (sternum), fused or missing vertebrae, and knock-knees.…

An approach to the education of pre-school-age children developed by Italian physician-educator Maria Montessori, featuring special materials for teaching numbers, letters, and abstract ideas. Materials are designed to foster independent thinking and creativity and to enhance a child’s use of the various sensory modes or modalities for learning, in what is called sensory education. From…

A medical term referring to identical twins who grew from one fertilized egg, or zygote; literally, “one egg.” Twins or multiple births originating from a single zygote that separates early in development; resulting individuals have identical genetic makeup. Originating from a single fertilized ovum, said of identical twins.  

A large area of skin colored pale blue, found in some relatively dark-skinned infants, generally on the buttocks or lower spine; a benign kind of skin disorder that usually disappears or becomes less obvious as the child grows older. Parents must be sure that others do not mistake the area for a large bruise and…

A slower promotion track to which some women are shunted on their return to work after maternity leave.  

General term referring to the senses by which a child takes in information for learning, the preferred modality being the sense that a child uses most easily and efficiently. These modalities are sometimes described as VAKT (for visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile); but sometimes the term haptic is used to refer to physical, hands-on learning,…

Children who have disappeared from the home of the parent or parents who legally have custody of them. Because disappearance of children, temporary or permanent, causes enormous anguish, a great deal of furor has surrounded the issue in recent years. More heat than light was often shed, however, until 1990 when a three-year study on…

An error that a person makes in reading, such as dropping a word, adding a word, or substituting one word for another.  

Standing in front of a mirror or other shining surface for an unusually long time; a sign that is generally associated with mental disorders such as schizophrenia.