*a work in progress*
Adaptation is an adjustments of parenting styles and expectations, family schedules, teaching strategies, and other environmental elements to match the needs and to maximize the development of a student. Making positive adaptations usually results in behavioural benefits not only to the child, but to family life, school adjustment and other personal interactions outside home and school.
Appropriate Educational Programming is a collaborative school-family-community process which school communities create learning a environment and provide resources and services that are responsive
to the lifelong learning, social, and emotional needs of all students.
Advocate is to take action on someone’s behalf; A person or group taking action on behalf of another. Parents of children with developmental delays often organize to advocate for their youngster’s schooling, medical or therapeutic interventions and other needs.
Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) is the identification and teaching of specific skills by using methods derived from theories of behavioural psychology. Behavioural psychology is based upon an assumption that observable behaviours and events are the only qualities that can be measured and, therefore, can and should be the focus of therapeutic interventions. A second basic assumption of ABA is that reinforcement, both positive and negative, adequately model the way the world works. Therapeutic practices based on these principles are sometimes referred to as Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI). Both long and short-term studies have demonstrated significant positive effect of ABA and IBI when used systematically as an intervention in working with children with autism.
Asperger Syndrome (AS) is the disorder which falls within the range of Autism Spectrum Disorders, but at the higher end of the scale for personal functioning. Asperger may present itself in numerous ways, some of which may be very positive. Children with Asperger may go undiagnosed or be incorrectly diagnosed with various learning and/or personal-social disabilities. Often children with Asperger Syndrome appear to be quite normal or even higher than normal in intelligence and achievement. They may, however, be lacking in social skills involving the give and take of conversation and responding to nonverbal communication cues. Sometimes persons with Asperger may be lacking in empathic expression. For some individuals, Asperger is accompanied by noticeably awkward physical movements.
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) a non-specific term generally referring to a group of disorders that may be pervasive and include difficulty with social interactions and communication as well as cognitive functions. In some instances ASD may be accompanied by repetitive and stereotyped behaviours. Some forms of autism become evident in the first few years of life while other, usually less extreme variations, are not diagnosed until much later. While numerous causes for autism have been and are being investigated, no specific causal relationships have been scientifically isolated as yet. There is general consensus, however, that autism is a brain disorder, not having origin in the social environment.
Assessment is a collection and organization of a wide range of cognitive, social, educational and personal information about a child organized so as to present a fair representation of his/her behaviour. An individual assessment may involve direct observations in different contexts, family/school interviews and observations, formal and informal educational evaluations, norm-based sociological and psychological testing as well as data analysis. The end result of the assessment process is usually a written report which clearly describes the child’s strengths and areas of need. Assessment results can serve as a basis for clear specification of plans and strategies for capitalizing on strengths and meeting needs. It is of utmost importance that assessments prepared by professionals be made available to parents. Parents should also have the opportunity to discuss and question the professional regarding the significance and practical implications of the assessment. As with results of a Diagnostic Schedule, Assessment result may also serve as a baseline for the measurement of on-going development and the effectiveness of therapies.
Behaviour Intervention Plan (BIP) is an intervention plan developed by a team to meet a student’s social/emotional and behavioural needs.
Brushing Therapy- is a therapy developed to aid in reducing tactile defensiveness by using the process of desensitization. Soft brushes similar to the finest of surgical brushes are used to lightly brush the arms, legs and back of individuals who show debilitating signs of tactile repulsion. A program of this sort should begin with such small steps that the problem behaviour does not occur, i.e. the point of beginning the therapy should be at such a low intensity as to not evoke the defensive response. Increasing intensity must be done in extraordinarily small steps. Careful design and supervision by a therapist specifically trained in the use of this therapy should always be followed.
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is a rare condition described many years before autism, but only recently recognized in professional diagnostics. The condition usually has its onset in the later stages of early childhood (3-5 years) after a rather extended period of “normal” development. Typically interest in the social environment and sometimes self-care abilities are diminished. Language usage declines as well as general responsiveness to most aspects of the environment. Although no specific medical cause has been identified, some evidence suggests that its origin stems from an unknown central nervous system pathology.
Developmental Assessment is a structured evaluation of a child’s development which usually includes physical, language, intellectual, social, emotional and educational characteristics. Most assessments are done by members of a multidisciplinary team of professionals led by a child psychologist or psychiatrist. Parental input of day-to-day observations plays a vital role in determining the initial direction the assessment will take. The end result of a well planned and executed assessment is a written report which presents an overall picture of the child’s strengths and weaknesses as well as proposed goals and strategies to enhance development. The summary is usually presented either during a team-parent conference or a one-to-one conference with the team leader and the parents. The summary should serve as a base for a better understanding of the child and as a springboard for improving strategies for guiding the growth of the child.
Echolalia is the automatic repetition by your little one of vocalizations (words or phrases)he/she has heard by another person, TV show, DVD movie
Fine Motor Skills are the coordination of small muscle movements which occur in the fingers, for example writing skills, drawing, coloring, playing musical instuments
Gross Motor Skills are the abilities to crawl, stand up, walk and run, walk up stairs. They are the skills that are used eventually to play sports, riding a bike, jumping the trampoline {for gymnastics hopefully}
Hypersensitivity often painful reactions to “normal” sensory experiences; voices are too loud, perfume is too strong, lights are too bright. It may seem like the child is over-reacting to the situation, but it is actually a sensory overload, and they just can't deal with it.
Hyposensitivity shows little or no reaction to regular sensory stimulation. A child with hyposensitivity may show delayed responses; the pot is hot, don't touch, or the water is too cold to swim, I need to get out
Inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that allows every individual to feel accepted, valued, and safe.
Inclusive Education is providing all students with the supports and opportunities they need to become participating members of their school
communities at all levels; early, middle, high & university.
Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a term referring to a written
document developed and implemented by a team, outlining a plan to address the unique learning needs of a student; the written IEP may range in length from one page documenting student-specific adaptations developed by a student’s teacher(s) in consultation with the parent(s), to a lengthier documentation of a student’s programming outlining student-specific outcomes developed by a larger team that may also include resource, clinical, and other student services supports; the term IEP is inclusive of other acronyms such as adapted education plan (AEP), behaviour
intervention plan (BIP), assisted learning plan (ALP), and so on.
Modified Check List for Autism in Toddlers M-CHAT is a 23-item yes/no checklist designed for administration by parents, pediatricians, psychologists, educators and other professionals as a rough screening device for autism in toddlers. The checklist was developed at the University of Connecticut Department of Psychology. Its main purpose is to help narrow the time between a parent’s initial expression of concern about a child’s development and the time that a definitive diagnosis of autism is made. At the time of the introduction of the checklist, the initial concern from a parent was expressed to a professional at an average age of about 1.5 years and a definitive diagnosis of autism was made at an average age of four (4) years. With the checklist available, the diagnosis is now made much earlier because parents, physicians and others significant persons have worked together more quickly to get a professional referral for thorough examination and diagnosis. For autism spectrum disorders, it is now generally accepted that early identification and intervention offer the best options for effective treatment choices.
Motor planning is the ability to conceive, organize and carry out a sequence of motor actions. It is the idea to see an image, remember it, break it down in your head and then being able to draw it on paper as you saw it.
Occupational Therapy (OT) is a therapy which focuses on helping an individual achieve independence in all areas of life. Occupational therapists who work with children attempt to provide positive and enjoyable activities to help improve cognitive, motor and personal skills. In turn, such improvements should enhance self esteem and a sense of accomplishment. Occupational therapists can also help evaluate a child’s skills for various activities such as play, academics and tasks of daily living. In so doing, the therapist will most often use a multidisciplinary approach, and address the interplay of social, psychological, biological and environmental factors for the child. Using the information gained from such an evaluation as well as other professional evaluative reports, the therapist can devise an individual therapeutic program to help meet a child’s needs.
Perseveration is the uncontrollable repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic disorder
Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) is a diagnostic category (DSM IV) which includes a group of five disorders characterized by delays in the development of several basic functions including communication and socialization. The five disorders are Autism, Rhett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) Basically, PDD-NOS is a little bit of each of the 4 disorders, with no dominant trait that would put one in a specific diagnosis.
Physical Therapy is a therapeutic service provided to develop or restore and to maintain functional movement and motor skills, both gross and fine. The therapist’s studied view of the individual client’s body and its movement needs and potential is crucial to diagnosis and the prescription of realistic objectives and treatment strategies.
Respite Care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members with a disability.
Rhett Syndrome is a complex neurologically based developmental disorder most often assumed to be hereditary in origin. Rhett is usually observed in females. Following an early period of seemingly “normal” development (six to eighteen months), regression and/or arrested development becomes evident. Among problems presented are seizures, respiratory distress, loss of communication skills, difficulty with gross motor skills and reduced growth of the head with age.
Sensory defensiveness is a tendency to overreact or react negatively to sensory stimulation which is generally considered non-irritating to most people. When an individual exhibits defensiveness to a multiple and wide-ranging set of stimuli, a diagnosis of sensory defensiveness may be made. Among the more commonly exhibited sensory defensive behaviours are intolerance of high pitched noises, distress at some forms of light, extreme repulsion toward some scents, overreaction to various types of tactile stimulation and the avoidance of eye contact.
Social Skills appropriate and positive social behaviours that are generally accepted as vital to positive social interactions and communication with others. Social skills include a range of behaviours among which are normatively appropriate oral language, gestures, body position in relation to others, eye contact, body movements and emotional states displayed.
Stimming is a repetitive body movement that is hypothesized to self-stimulate one or more senses in a regulated manner. The term is shorthand for self-stimulation, and a repetitive movement, or stereotypy, is referred to as stimming under the hypothesis that it has a function related to sensory input
Tactile the sense of touch, one of the sensory input systems of the human body.
Transition is the changes from one environment to another where new perceptions and skills are required to adjust. For example, a child may enter an early intervention program after having spent the first two or three years at home in the care of family. This would require a period of transition so that eventually, the movement from one environment to the other would become smooth and anxiety free.
Visual Schedule a group of pictures or objects which are arranged in a specific order for regular daily activities or even for special events. Some schedules have times on them to show a "deadline" to lessen anxiety
