ESL Podcast 725 - Childhood Illnesses and Diseases
daycare center - a facility or business that takes care of young children while their parents are working somewhere else
Most daycare centers ask parents to leave an extra set of clothing, just in case the child gets very dirty during the day.
record year - the year with the highest level or amount of something; a year with more of something than ever before
The years 2009 and 2011 are record years for heat waves in many states.
chicken pox - varicella; an infection that is shared easily among children and also among some adults, causing fever, tiredness, and many small, itchy red marks on the skin
Chicken pox is very uncomfortable, but it isn't life-threatening for most children.
to go around - for many people to suffer from a disease in a certain area during a certain period of time, because the disease is easily passed from one person to another
The flu has been going around at work lately.
measles - rubeola; a viral disease that causes a fever, coughing, runny nose, red eyes, and many red spots on the skin
The boy was covered in red spots, but he wasn't scratching them, so the doctors thought he might have the measles.
mumps - a viral disease that causes painful "swelling" (growth; increase in size) in the "salivary glands" (parts of the body that produce liquid inside the mouth) near the ears
When she had the mumps, the sides of her neck swelled so much that she couldn't really move her head.
pink eye - conjunctivitis; a bacterial or viral infection that causes the white part of the eye to become pink or red, often with clear, yellow or green liquid coming out of the eye
You can avoid pink eye by always washing your hands before touching your eye area.
nosebleed - when blood comes out of a person's nose, sometimes for no apparent reason, usually for only a few minutes
When Randall was hit in the face with a baseball, it caused a nosebleed.
earache - pain inside one's ear caused by an infection
Do swimmers get earaches more often than non-swimmers?
contagious - a disease that is easily passed from one person to another, perhaps by coughing or sneezing, or by kissing or sharing food or drink
The nurse told the students that washing their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before eating is a very good way to protect themselves from contagious diseases.
disease - illness; sickness, especially caused by a bacteria or virus
Did you read about yellow fever and other common diseases before you decided to travel to that part of the world?
to take its toll - to have a negative impact on someone or something; for the bad effect of something to be noticed
Years of smoking and sunbathing have taken its toll on Helena's skin.
strep throat - a painful bacterial infection that makes one's throat feel scratchy
Strep throat is much more painful than a regular sore throat.
croup - an illness that makes it very hard for young children to breathe and makes them cough a lot
When Kenny has croup, his coughing sounded a lot like a dog barking.
to immunize - to protect someone from getting a disease by giving them a shot or having them swallow a liquid that contains a small amount of the virus or bacteria and makes the body fight against it
All children must be immunized against polio before they can enter kindergarten.
Center for Disease Control - a U.S. government agency that protects public health by educating people about health and diseases and by promoting programs to prevent and fight against diseases
What is the Center for Disease Control doing about the growing number of Americans who are overweight or obese?
gas mask - a device worn over one's mouth and nose, and sometimes eyes, to allow one to breathe without being exposed to dangerous chemicals in the air
Yes, changing a dirty diaper can be a smelly job, but I don't think you really need a gas mask.