Failure to Thrive: A condition characterized by lag in physical growth and development.

Fair Housing Act: As amended in 1988, prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability,
family status and national origin. Its coverage includes private housing, housing that receives Federal financial
assistance and State and local government housing.

Febrile seizures: Generalized tonic-clonic seizures brought on by a sudden rise of temperature to 102 degrees or higher.

Feeding Tube: A tube made of soft plastic used for feeding children who are not able to get enough nutrition through regular feeding or eating.

Femoral bone: The long, heavy bone extending from the knee to the hip.

Fetus: An advanced state of prenatal development, between the embryonic stage and birth; in humans, 16 or more weeks of development.

Fine motor: Relating to the use of the small muscles of the body, such as those in the face, hands, feet, fingers, and toes.

Flexion: The bending of joints.

Flexion deformity: Abnormal flexion at a joint.

Flexor: A muscle controlling joint flexion.

Floppy: Having weak posture and loose movements.

Fluctuating tone: Having a combination of low and high muscle tone.

Focal motor seizures: jerking of a few muscle groups without an initial loss of consciousness.

Folate: See Folic Acid.

Folic Acid: A B Vitamin; there is now substantial evidence that during early pregnancy (the first several weeks), an
additional intake of folic acid can help prevent defective development of the spinal cord (spina bifida) and of the
brain (anencephaly) in infants with a predisposition to these abnormalities.

Form perception: The ability to perceive a pattern of parts making up a whole.

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): The basic right to special education provided at public expense. This right
is guaranteed by IDEA.

Fundoplication: A surgical procedure performed to prevent food in the stomach from coming back up into the esophagus
or mouth. During the procedure, part of the stomach is wrapped around the lower part of the esophagus. Also
known as a Nissen procedure.