The term childhood diseases denotes those diseases that characte stically occur during an age span that begins with the fetus and extends through adolescence．This is a period typified by change，both in the child himself and in his immediate environment．Changes in the child related to growth and development are so striking that it is almost as if the child were a series of distinct yet related individuals as he passes through infancy，childhood，and adolescence．Changes in the environment occur as the surroundings and contacts of a totally dependent infant become those of a progressively more independent child and adolescent．⑦Health and disease during the period from conception to adolescence must be understood against this backdrop of changes．
Although，for the most part，the diseases of childhood are similar to those of the adult，there are several important differences．For example，certain specific disorders，such as precocious puberty，are unique to children；others，such as acute nephritis--inflammation of the kidney--are common in children and infrequent in adults．At the same time，some diseases that are common in adults are infrequent in children．These include essential hypertension(high blood pressure of unknown cause)and gout． Finally,a major segment of pediatric care concerns the treatment and prevention of congenital anomalies，both functional and structural．
Apart from variations in disease due to differences between children and adults，certain other features of diseases in children need to be emphasized．Infectious disorders are prevalent and remain 8 leading cause of death，although individual illnesses are often mild and of minor consequence．Most instances of the common communicable diseases，such as measles，chicken pox，and mumps，are encountered in childhood．Disorders of nutrition，still of great concern，especially but not exclusively in developing countries，are of extreme importance to the growing and developing child．The unique nutritional requirements of children make them unusually susceptible to deficiency states：vitamin-D deficiency causes rickets，a common disorder of children in developing countries，and only rarely causes any disease in adults．The major environmental hazards that endanger the health of young children are either unavoidable，as in air pollution，or accidental，as in poisoning and in traffic injuries．0lder children，especially adolescents，are exposed，as are adults，to environmental hazards that they deliberately seek，such as cigarette smoking and the use of alcohol and other drugs．[390 words]
1．Childhood diseases are______．
A．generally caused by the change of the child himself
B．caused primarily by the change of the child’S immediate environment
C．usually associated with the changes that a child has to undergo in his growth and development
D．characterized by a series of distinct yet related stages
2．The disease that an adult unusually suffers from is______．
A．acute nephritis
B．hypertension
C．mental disorders
D．precocious puberty
3．According to this passage，______.
A．childhood diseases are often mild and of minor consequence
B．childhood diseases never lead to death
C．children are rarely exposed to major environmental hazards
D．some children even intentionally pursue particular environmental hazards
4．It iS TRUE that______．
A．the diseases infrequent in adults may not be So in children
B．childhood diseases are often mild and of minor consequence
C．children are less susceptible to infections than adults
D．children are more susceptible to infections than adults
5．The last paragraph is mainly about______．
A．variations in childhood diseases
B．some remarkable characteristics of childhood diseases
C．prevalent infectious disorders in children [NextPage]
难句透析
①Changes in the child[related to growth and development]are so striking[that it is almost(as if the child were a series of distinct yet related individuals<as he passes through infancy，childhood，and adolescence>)]．
【结构】其中，过去分词短语“related to growth and development”用做后置定语，修饰“changes”；“s0…that…”引导结果状语从句“as if”引导的从句中动词为虚拟语气。
【释义】小孩成长发育时期变化极大。一个小孩经历婴儿期、儿童期和青春期几乎就像经历几个完全不同但又彼此相关的人的人生一样。
②Changes in the environment Occur[as the surroundings and contacts of a totally dependent infant become those of a progressively more independent child and adolescent]．
【结构】其中，“as”引导时间状语从旬；“those”代替“the surroundings and contacts”。
【释义】当一个完全依赖他人的婴儿逐步变成一个越来越独立的儿童和青少年时，周围的环境和接触的人都发生了变化。
③The unique nutritional requirements of children make them unusually susceptible to deficiency states：vitamin-D deficiency”causes rickets，a common disorder of children in developing countries，and only rarely”causes any disease in adults．
【结构】本句由两个分句组成，之问用冒号分开。第一个分句的主语是“requirements”；谓语动词是“make"；宾语是“them”；“them”代替“children”。第二个分句的主语是“vitamin-D deficiency”；有两个并列的谓语动词“causes”。
【释义】小孩在营养方面的独特需求使他们特别容易受到营养缺乏的影响：缺乏维生索D会引起佝偻病，这是发展中国家儿童的一种常见病；缺乏维生素D很少使成年人得病。
④The major environmental hazards[that endanger the health of young children]are either unavoidable，as in air pollution，or accidental，as in poisoning and in traffic injuries．
【结构】其中，“that”引导的定语从句修饰“hazards”；“either…or…”连接两个用做表语的形容词“unavoidable”和“accidental”。
【释义】环境方面威胁幼儿健康的主要危险可能是不可避免的，比如，空气污染；也可能是偶然性的，比如，中毒或交通事故受伤。
全文翻译
儿童疾病一词暗示这些疾病通常只发生在人生从胚胎至青春期这一时期之内。这个时期的显着特点就是变化，不仅是儿童本身还有他身边最密切的环境。小孩成长发育时期变化极大。一个小孩经历婴儿期、儿童期和青春期几乎就像经历几个完全不同但又彼此相关的人的人生一样。①当一个完全依赖他人的婴儿逐步变成一个越来越独立的儿童和青少年时，周围的环境和接触的人都发生了变化。②从怀孕到青春期这个时期内孩子的健康和疾病状况必须在这种不断变化的背景知识下来了解。
虽然从大多数情况来看，儿童疾病与成人所患的病症大同小异，但是其中还是存在几个重要的差别。比如说，某些特殊的症状如青春期早熟就是儿童所特有的；其他的，比如说严重的肾炎一一即肾脏发炎一在儿童中常见但是在成人中却不多。与此同时，有些病症在成人身J二多发而在儿童中则少见。这类病症包括中枢神经紧张(即原因不明的高血压)以及痛风等。最后，儿科当中还有一个重要的分支是专门研究先天异常的预防和治疗的，这其中包括功能性和组织性障碍。
除去由于儿童与成人年龄差异所造成的患病差异外，一些其他的儿童疾病的特征也值得强调一下。传染性疾病普遍存在仍然是导致死亡的重要原因之一。而个体疾病通常只带来中度或轻微的后果。许多常见的传染病，比如麻疹、水痘和腮腺炎，都是在儿童时期获得的。营养失衡也仍然是关注的重点，发展中国家尤其是这样，但不仅仅是发展中国家，因为这关系到正在生长发育的孩子们的状况。小孩在营养方面的独特需求使他们特别容易受到营养缺乏的影响：缺乏维生素D会引起佝偻病，这是发展中国家儿童的一种常见病；缺乏维生素D很少使成年人得病。环境方面威胁幼儿健康的主要危险可能是不可避免的，比如，空气污染；也可能是偶然性的，比如，中毒或交通事故受伤。④年龄较大的孩子，特别是青春期的孩子们就如同成人一样暴露在一些自己制造的环境危害当中．比如说吸烟、饮酒和吸毒等。
超纲词汇
Anomaly n．不规则，异常的人或物
Backdrop n．背景幕，(事件的)背景
chicken pox n．水痘
Conception n．受孕
Congenital n.天生的，先天的，天赋的
hypertension n．高血压，过度紧张
Inflammation n．[医]炎症，发炎
measles n．麻疹，风疹
mumps n．腮腺炎
nephritis n．肾炎
pediatric adj．小儿科的
Precocious adj．早熟的
puberty n．青春期
Rickets n．软骨病，佝偻病，驼背
gout n．[医]痛风
参考答案：1．C 2．A 3．D 4．A 5．B
D．several important differences between childhood diseases and adult diseases
