Glossary of scientific terms

Abnormalities of purine metabolism: The metabolic pathway that results in uric acid is termed the purine pathway. A number of enzyme deficiencies involved in this pathway may lead to developmental disorders, accompanied by autistic symptoms. The mechanisms in this are not well understood.

Adaptive behavior: The ability to adjust to new environments, tasks, objects, and people, and to apply new skills to those new situations.

Advocacy: Supporting or promoting a cause. Speaking out.

Advocacy groups: Organizations that work to protect the rights and opportunities of handicapped children and their parents.

Anticonvulsant: A drug used to control seizures. Even though all seizures are not convulsions, this term is commonly used.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA): A method of teaching designed to analyze and change behavior in a precisely measurable and accountable manner. Also called behavior modification.

Asperger’s syndrome: A condition with strong similarities to autism, but where the individual’s early language, development is not delayed, and may even be precocious. Language, however, is still used in a stilted and stereotyped manner. Intellectually, individuals with Asperger’s syndrome usually function in the normal range of ability.

Assessment: Process to determine a child’s strengths and weaknesses. Includes testing and observations performed by a team of professionals and parents. Usually used to determine special education needs. Term is used interchangeably with evaluation.

Attachment disorder: During normal child development there emerges (at around nine months of age) a set of “attachment behaviours” that are earliest manifestations of a loving relationship between child and parent or care-giver. These behaviours include distress on separation and pleasure on reunion. In disorders of attachment the formation of this early relationship is disrupted or disturbed. This is particularly commonly seen in instances of child-abuse or neglect.

Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task.

Attention span: The amount of time one is able to concentrate on a task. Also called attending in special education jargon.

Atypical autism: A diagnosis reserved for those individuals who display the characteristic features of autism in two of the three key areas (language development, social development, and play development) but do not display the features in the third.

Auditory: Relating to the ability to hear.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): Is an increasingly popular term that refers to a broad definition of autism including the classical form of the disorder as well as closely related disabilities that share many of the core characteristics.