GLOSSARY

Diagnoses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) : A developmental disorder consisting of problems with attention span, impulse control, and activity level. Often leads to difficulties in peer relationships and school functioning.

Subtypes include:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type (inattention & Hyperactivity/impulsivity).
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type.

Communication Disorders: Difficulties in some aspect of using spoken language to communicate or understanding language.

Types of Communication Disorders include:

Expressive Language Disorder : Difficulties with language including limited vocabulary, making errors in tense, or having difficulty recalling words or producing sentences with developmentally appropriate length or complexity.

Mixed Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder: Difficulties include those for Expressive Language Disorder as well as difficulty understanding words, sentences, or specify types of words, such as spatial terms.

Phonological Disorder: Difficulties in speech skills such as, errors in sound production, use, representation, or organization (e.g., substitutions or one sound for another or omissions of sounds such as final consonants).

Academic Learning Disability: An academic learning disability in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language, that manifests as a weakness in the ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematics.

Types of Learning Disorders include:

• Reading Disorder (also called Dyslexia)
• Mathematics Disorder (also called Dyscalculia)
• Disorder of Written Expression (also called Dysgraphia)
• Visual Spatial Organization Disorder
• Executive Function Disorder

Social-Emotional Learning Disorders: Social Emotional Learning Disorders (SELD) is a categorization of children who have brain based developmental difficulties with sociability whose symptoms reflect deficits in social emotional cognition. These normo-intellectual but socially disabled children currently carry labels including Nonverbal Learning Disability, Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. SELD focuses on the overlap of these categories, the child’s social emotional learning capacities. The framework of SELD includes three core domains; social interest (desire for age appropriate, reciprocal peer relationships), social emotional comprehension and social emotional execution. These domains are thought to affect each other in a multi-dimensional, recursive manner.

Nonverbal Learning Disability: A disorder involving primary nonverbal deficits across spatial, motor, nonverbal reasoning, visual processing, tactile, and/or sensory processing domains. Social difficulties are also noted in both the execution and processing or understanding of social language, which are evident in nonverbal communication and social-pragmatics.

Autistic Disorder: A neurological disorder that impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. In most cases (75%), there is an associated diagnosis of mental retardation.

Asperger’s Disorder: A neurological disorder that impacts the development of social interaction skills and involves the development of repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Unlike Autistic Disorder, there are no significant delays in cognitive development or language.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD, NOS) : A disorder in which deficits in social interaction, communication skills, or repetitive behaviors may be observed; however, the full features of Autism or any other specific pervasive developmental disorder are not met.

GLOSSARY OR PROFESSIONALS

Behavioral Child Neurologist: a physician (M.D. or D.O.) who specializes in brain based behavioral, learning, and emotional aspects in children. Intervention services include pharmacology, parent and school consultations, and case management.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist : a physician (M.D. or D.O.) who specializes in the behavioral and emotional aspects of infants, children, and adolescents and may prescribe medication as necessary.

Neuropsychologist : a doctoral level (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) professional who studies the physiological basis of psychological processes, and the relationship between the nervous system and cerebral or mental functions such as: language, memory, learning, sensory, perception, and executive functioning.  

Clinical Psychologist : a doctoral level (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) professional who provides social/emotional, intellectual, and educational assessment and interpretation. Clinical psychologists also provide individual, group, and family therapeutic services relating to a patient’s mental and emotional health.

Physical Therapist : a professional who specializes in trunk and lower-extremity function (including strength and coordination), posture and walking as they relate to developmental skills and functional activities.

Occupational Therapist : a professional who specializes in upper-extremity function (including strength and coordination), eye hand coordination, sensory processing, and posture as it relates to developmental skills and functional activities.

Speech and Language Therapist : Specializes in the identification and provision of services for children with articulation problems, as well as expressive and/or receptive language problems.