Glossary
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D |
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DevelopmentalDescribes a condition
or process which unfolds during child development. Development may reflect a
typical pattern in which certain skills and behaviours are attained, following
broadly the same time frame in different children. In atypical development, for
instance in autism, certain key processes such as language and communication
develop at a different rate, in a different way or not at all. (See also
developmental trajectory.) | |
Developmental trajectoryA term for the
developmental sequence. This emphasises two facets of typical development: (1)
There is a characteristic sequence of 'milestones' such as crawling, sitting up
and walking. (2) Early developmental skills such as pointing and looking are
thought to lay the foundations for later more sophisticated skills such as play
with siblings, friendships with peers, or the complex relationships of the
teenage years and adulthood. The idea of an atypical developmental trajectory
is an important concept in work on autism. | |
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)The American
Psychiatric Association's formal system for the classification and diagnosis of
psychiatric, mental health and developmental conditions, which includes
criteria for diagnosing autism. The 5th edition, published in 2013, dispensed
with the diagnostic sub-types of autism (e.g. Asperger Syndrome) seen in
earlier versions. The DSM-5 approach to classifying and diagnosing autism treats
it as a continuous spectrum and uses severity scores and specifiers to characterise
each individual’s strengths and weaknesses. | |
Diagnostic criteriaFormal descriptions
of medical, psychiatric and developmental conditions, used in making diagnoses.
The criteria comprise a list of symptoms or features that an individual must
have for a condition or problem to be diagnosed, and in some cases specify
additional symptoms that should not be present. (See also DSM and ICD.) | |
Diagnostic instrumentA set of systematic procedures
used to diagnose conditions like autism, for which no medical test can be
applied. Diagnostic instruments involve questionnaires, observations of the
person and interviews with the family (where possible). The instruments are
designed such that the diagnostic criteria are applied in a standard consistent
way. | |
Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO)An interview designed
for use with the parents of children or adults who are being assessed for an
autism spectrum diagnosis. The interview offers a 'dimensional' framework,
allowing for ‘graded’ evaluation of how closely an individual matches the
criteria for a pervasive developmental disorder, as defined in the ICD and DSM
systems. | |
DyslexiaA specific developmental
condition characterised by problems with reading, writing and spelling as a
result of underlying difficulties in processing and remembering information. It
is not linked to intelligence. | |
E |
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EarlyBirdA three-month
education programme run by the UK National Autistic Society (NAS), providing
support and encouragement and promoting good practice for parents of newly diagnosed
children aged under five years on the autism spectrum. EarlyBird Plus is for
parents of children aged four to eight years. | |
Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI)An intervention for pre-school children on the autism spectrum, using a range of behavioural techniques based on Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) principles. Early forms of intervention such as EIBI have proved very effective with some children. However, intensity for the child and demands on parents are issues for consideration. | |
EcholaliaThe repetition of
words, phrases or sentences just spoken by others, in a 'parrot-like' fashion.
Echolalia is common in individuals on the autism spectrum, and also occurs in
conditions such as schizophrenia and Tourette's syndrome. In autism, the
repetition may be immediate or delayed. | |