Glossary of terms relating to Autism
A
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Absence Seizure |
see Seizures |
| Activities of Daily Living (ADL) |
Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are the things we normally do in daily living including any daily activity we perform for self-care (such as feeding ourselves, bathing, dressing, grooming), work, homemaking, and leisure. 57 |
| Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) |
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability.58 |
| Angelman Syndrome |
Angelman Syndrome is a neuro-genetic disorder characterized by intellectual and developmental delay, sleep disturbance, seizures, jerky movements especially hand-flapping, frequent laughter or smiling, and usually a happy demeanor. 59 |
| Anticonvulsants |
Anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. They are often called antiepileptic drugs (abbreviated "AEDs") or antiseizure drugs (abbreviated "ASDs"). 60 |
| Aphasia |
Aphasia also known as rhymnasia, is a loss of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language, due to injury to brain areas specialized for these functions. 61 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) |
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a style of teaching using series of trials to shape desired behavior or response. Skills are broken into small components and taught to child through a system of reinforcement. 62 |
| Apraxia |
Apraxia is a neurological disorder characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out learned purposeful movements, despite having the desire and the physical ability to perform the movements. It is a disorder of motor planning which may be acquired or developmental, but may not be caused by lack of coordination, sensory loss, or failure to comprehend simple commands. 63 |
| Asperger Syndrome |
Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder on the Autism spectrum defined by impairments in communication and social development and by repetitive interests and behaviors, without a significant delay in language and cognitive development. 64 |
| Astatic Seizure |
see Seizures |
| Atonic Seizure |
see Seizures |
| Audiologist |
Audiologist is a healthcare professional specializing in identifying, diagnosing, treating and monitoring hearing or balance problems. 65 |
| Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) |
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a disorder in the way auditory information is processed in the brain. 66 |
| Augmentative and Alternative Communication |
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a communication aid or device developed or adapted for use by people with severe disorders of speech-language production and/or comprehension, including spoken and written modes of communication. 67 |
| Autism |
Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. 68 |
| Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule |
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) is a standardized protocol for assessing social and communicative behavior associated with autism. The protocol consists of a series of structured and semi-structured tasks that involve social interaction between the examiner and the subject. 69 |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders |
Autism Spectrum Disorders are a spectrum of psychological conditions characterized by widespread abnormalities of social interactions and communication, as well as severely restricted interests and highly repetitive behavior. 70 |
