Glossary

A glossary of terms used on this wiki.

A

 * Assessment: It is a systematic and complete evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses including other problems of a person in the context of a disorder.

B

 * Basal ganglia disorder: Basal ganglia is a region of the brain. This disorder indicates degeneration in this region of the brain resulting into disturbances in the motor skills.

C

 * Casein: It is a type of protein found in milk and other milk products.
 * Comorbid: Existing simultaneously with and independently of another condition.

D

 * Developmental disabilities: It is generic terms indicating the children and adults having one or more substantial continuing disability originating in childhood.

E

 * Early intervention: Actions initiated to address the risks and disorders observed in infants or children at the early of mental, physical, learning or other disorders. The initiated actions may involve medical, family, school, social or mental health resources.

F

 * Fragile X syndrome: It is a learning disability arising on account of defect/s in a particular part of the X chromosome.

G

 * Gluten: Protein found in wheat.

H

 * Hypothalamus: A particular part of brain having several nerve centres. It is responsible for certain vital functions including regulating urges of hunger, thirst and sex.

I

 * Infants: Babies below the age of one year are called infants.

M

 * Meltdown: A tantrum resulting from sensory overload.
 * Multi-modal teaching: Teaching that addresses more than one learning style -- visual learning, auditory learning, reading and writing, and kinesthetic learning.

N

 * Neurotypical: Term used to describe a non-autistic person.

P

 * Perseveration: A term used to describe an autistic person's fixation on something. For example, an autistic Godzilla fan might spend hours on the internet looking at pictures of Godzilla, write Godzilla fan fiction, and launch into a monologue about Godzilla movies at any opportunity.

S

 * Self stimulation: Repetitive motor mannerisms autistic people often engage in to regulate their sensory input or ward off sensory overload. Examples of self stimulation behaviors include rocking, hand flapping, humming, finger flicking and freezing in position.
 * Sensory overload: A condition that results from an autistic person receiving more information than their brain can handle. Can result in a meltdown or shutdown. Some people go into sensory overload more easily than others.
 * Shutdown: A result of sensory overload where an autistic person loses their ability to function or think clearly. Some cases of shutdown are so severe that a sense disappears (i.e., going deaf or losing visual perception).
 * Stim: Also known as "stimming", stim is a slang term for the "self stimulation" autistic people often engage in.