Skip to content

Glossary: The Alphabet Soup

The world of Autism is filled with acronyms, other wise known as “Alphabet Soup” by us at WAKEUP. There’s a few other well established email/social acronyms we love like… BTW=”by the way”, IMO=”in my opinion”, IMHO=”in my humble opinion”, LOL=”laughing out loud”, ROFL=”rolling on floor laugning, FWIW=”for what its worth”. You get the picture, right?

ACRONYMS
ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder
PDD-NOS – Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified
DD – Developmental Disability (or Developmental Delay)
AS – Asperger’s Syndrome
ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
NT – Neurotypical
LD – Learning Disabled
MR – “Mentally Retarded” or “Mental Retardation”
SI – Sensory Integration
LSH – Language, Speech and Hearing Specialist
SIB – Self-Injurious Behavior
SIT – Sensory Integration Therapy
SLP or S-LP – A Speech-Language Pathologist
SLD – Specific Learning Disorder
IEP – Individualized Educational Plan (for school age children)
IFSP – Individualized Family Service Plan (younger than school age)
FAPE – Free and Appropriate Public Education
LRE – Least Restrictive Environment (used in school settings)
ABA – Applied Behavioral Analysis
DTT – Discrete Trial Therapy (or Training)
PT – Physical Therapy
OT – Occupational Therapy
APE – Adaptive Physical Education (in public schools)
GF – Gluten Free
CF – Casein Free
GF/CF/SF – Gluten Free/Casein Free/Soy Free combo
ODD – Oppositional Defiance Disorder
AUT – Autism (used in certain school systems)
EI – Early Intervention
ASL – American Sign Language
CARS – Childhood Autism Rating Scale
GARS – Gilliam Autism Rating Scale
HFA – “High-functioning Autistic” or “High-functioning Autism”
CDC – Center for Disease Control
CCF – Community Care Facility
DAN – Defeat Autism Now (also refers to Doctors)
DAS – Developmental Apraxia of Speech
DH – Developmentally Handicapped
EEG – Electroencephalogram (A test consisting of recording brainwaves as picked up by electrodes. It is used to identify seizures)
MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
AAC – Assistive Augmentative Communication (A speech-language therapists’ term for communication using a picture board or recorded messages activated by buttons, etc.)
PECS – Picture Exchange Communication System
DSM-III, DSM-III-R, & DSM-IV & DSM-V – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act
SSI-DC – Supplimental Security Income-Disabled Child

TEACCH – Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children

PICA – ingestion of nonfood items

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (A test sometimes used to evaluate students possibly requiring special education)