This is a list of some of the abbreviations that you will frequently see
in autism lists and chat groups.
This list was posted to a list and I just
picked it up, so I take no credit for it, just here for anyone who might
like to know!
I've also included at the end a couple of definitions that I thought might help some people. Some do not have definitions. If you know what they mean send them along!
| ABA | Applied Behavior Analysis (therapy method)/Applied Behavioral Analysis |
| ABC | Autism Behavior Checklist |
| ABC | also refers to a behaviour plan (study/intervention) based on Antecedents, Behaviour, Consequences |
| AC | Autistics and Cousins |
| ADD | Attention Deficit Disorder |
| ADHD | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder |
| ADVISE | (definition requested) |
| AEA | Area Education Agency, provides support services (ed consultation, psych, social work, nursing, speech and language, etc.) to local education agencies. |
| AFAIK | As Far As I Know |
| AFGO | Another Fine Growth Opportunity (sarcastic-means difficult problem to solve) |
| AIT | Advanced Individual Training/Auditory Integration Therapy |
| ALE | Alternative Learning Experience |
| ANI | Autism Network International |
| ANI-L | The listserv (mailing list) for Autism Network International |
| APD | Auditory Processing Disorder |
| APKD | Adult polycystic kidney disease (APKD) is associated with cyst formation in the kidney, liver, pancreas, esophagus, ovary, uterus, and brain. |
| AS | Asperger's Syndrome/Autistic Spectrum |
| ASA | Autism Society of America |
| ASD | Autistic Spectrum Disorder |
| ASPIE | A person with Asperger's Syndrome |
| AUTIE | A person with Autism |
| BD | Behavioral Disorder |
| BIC | Behavior Improvement Class |
| BIL | Brother-In-Law |
| BIP | Behavior Improvement Plan |
| BMP | Behavior Management Plan |
| BOCES | Board of Cooperative Educational Services |
| BP | Bi-Polar (formerly called 'manic depressive') |
| BRB | (on-line chat related) Be Right Back |
| BTW | By the Way |
| CAN | An organization "Cure Autism Now" |
| CAPD | Central Auditory Processing Disorder |
| CARS | Childhood Autism Rating Scale (diagnostic and evaluation tool) |
| CD | Conduct Disorder |
| CDD | Childhood Disintegrative Disorder |
| CDC | Center For Disease Control and Prevention |
| CF | Casein Free |
| CI | Casein Intolerant |
| CNS | Central Nervous System |
| CO | Conference |
| COUSIN | Someone who has some autistic-spectrum characteristics to the extent that he/she can identify with autistic folks even if not formally diagnosed.) |
| CP | Cerebral Palsy |
| CPS | Child Protective Services |
| CSE | Committee for Special Education (called MDT in some states) |
| CVPD | Central Vision Processing Disorder |
| DCD | Development Coordination Disorder (DSM IV 315.4) |
| DD | Development Disorder/Developmental Disabilities |
| DH | Developmentally Handicapped |
| DHH | Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
| DHS | Department of Human Services |
| DMG | Dimethyl Glycine |
| DR | Disability Rights |
| DSM | Disablity Statistical Manual (enormous industry-standard catalog of medical diagnoses) |
| DSM-IV | Diagnostic Statistical Manual (edition IV) the current version of this publication |
| DSMR | Diagnostic Statistical Manual (Revised) |
| DX | Diagnosis |
| EBD | Emotional Behavior Disorder |
| ECG | ElectroCardioGram |
| ECSE | Early Childhood Special Education |
| ECT | ElectroConvulsive Therapy (electroshock) |
| ED | Emotionally Disturbed |
| EEG | ElectroEncephaloGram a graph of brain-wave activity |
| EI | Early Intervention |
| ESD | Educational Service District |
| ESE | Exceptional Student Education |
| ESY | Extended School Year |
| EYSD | Extended Year Special Ed |
| F2F | Face to Face |
| FADD | Feline Attention Deficit Disorder -- High-dysfunctioning autistic cat can't get enough attention |
| FAPE | Free Appropriate Public Education |
| FAS | Fetal Alcohol Syndrome |
| FBO | Fuzzy Box Office (feline home entertainment system) |
| FC | Facilitated Communication |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration |
| FERPA | Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act |
| FIL | Father-In-Law |
| FNS | Fuzzy Neuron Syndrome |
| FWIW | For what it's worth |
| GF | Gluten Free |
| GFCF | Gluten Free / Casein Free (Gluten is wheat free/casein usually dairy free-suspected issue with a number of autistics) |
| GI | Gluten Intolerant |
| HFA | High Functioning Autism (defined as Autism occurring without mental retardation, e.g. w/IQ of 70 or higher) |
| HH | Hard of Hearing |
| HSLDA | Home School Legal Defense Organization |
| IBS | Irritable Bowel Syndrome |
| IDEA | Individuals with Disabilities Education Act |
| IEP | Individual Education Plan |
| IFLACA | I Feel Like A Complete Ass (used as an apology) |
| IIRC | If I Recall Correctly |
| IME | Independent Medical Examination |
| IMHO | In My Humble Opinion |
| IMMV | Individual Mileage May Vary (your experiences might be different) |
| IMNSHO | In My Not So Humble Opinion |
| IMO | In My Opinion |
| IMVHO | In My Very Humble Opinion |
| InLv | Independent Living (support group) |
| IOW | In Other Words |
| IQ | Intelligence Quotient |
| IRB | Institutional Review Board |
| IRCA | Indiana Resource Center for Autism |
| LD | Learning Disability |
| LF | Lactose Free |
| LFA | Low Functioning Autism (defined as Autism occurring with mental retardation, e.g. w/IQ lower than 70) |
| LI | Lactose Intolerant |
| LLD | Language-based Learning Disability |
| LOL | Laugh (or Laughing) Out Loud |
| LOLROF | Laughing Out Loud, Rolling on Floor |
| MAAP | More Able Autistic Persons (Support group) |
| MBD | Minimum Brain Dysfunction |
| M-D | Manic Depression (Bipolar depression) |
| MDO | Major Depressive Disorder |
| MDT | Multidisciplinary Team (teacher, SLP, OT, psych and Parents! |
| Used in reference to the group of individuals who are a part of development and implementation of an IEP). | |
| MIL | Mother-in-Law |
| MR | Mental Retardation, Mentally Retarded (IQ less than 70) |
| MRI | Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
| NAAR | National Alliance for Autism Research |
| ND | Neurodiverse (used primarily by writers from UK) |
| NDA | Not Diagnosed with Anything |
| NICHCY | National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities |
| NOD | Not Otherwise Defined, Often appears alot with DX by psychologists. |
| NOS | Not of Specific Origin/Not Otherwise Specified (usually seen as PDD-NOS) |
| NS | Noonan's Syndrome |
| NT | Neurologically Typical (no diagnosable neurological disorder) |
| NVLD | Non-verbal learning disability |
| OB | Obligatory |
| OCD | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder |
| ODD | Oppositional Defiant Disorder |
| OHI | Other Health Impaired |
| OIC | Oh, I see |
| OPM | Over-Protective Mom |
| OT | Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy |
| OTOH | On The Other Hand |
| P&A | Protection & Advocacy |
| PAVE | Parents Are Vital in Education....a Washington State parents advocacy group. |
| PDD | Pervasive Developmental Disorder |
| PDR | Physician's Desk Reference |
| PET | Positron Emission Tomography |
| PIQ | Performance IQ |
| PITA | Pain In The Arse |
| PKD | See APKD |
| POHI | Physically or Otherwise Health Impaired |
| POV | Point of View |
| PPA | Parent of a Person with Autism |
| PPA | PPA (PhenylPropanolAmine: A D-amphetamine analogue) very mild stimulant and more. |
| PPL | People |
| PT | Physical Therapist or Physical Therapy |
| PTSD | Post Traumatic Stress Disorder |
| RDI | Relationship Development Intervention |
| RL | Real Life |
| ROFL | Rolling On Floor Laughing |
| ROFLMAO | ROFL My Arse Off |
| RPITB | Royal Pain in the Butt |
| SAH Mom | Stay at home Mom |
| SBH | (?) Severe Behavior Handicap |
| SED | Severely Emotionally Disturbed |
| SI | Sensory Integration |
| SIB | Self-Injurious Behavior |
| SID | Sensory Integration Disorder |
| SLK | Severely Labeled Kid |
| SLP | Speech and Language Pathologist |
| SNT | Super NuThera |
| SSD | Social Security Disability |
| SSI | Supplemental Security Income |
| SSRI | Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (class of meds, including Prozac, Zoloft, Praxil, Luvox) |
| SX | Signs and Symptoms |
| TAN | Tangentially |
| TEACCH | Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Disorders |
| TCI | Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) System |
| TIC | Tongue in Cheek |
| TOM | Theory of Mind |
| TS | Tourette's Syndrome |
| TS | Tuberous Sclerosis |
| TTFN | Ta-Ta For Now! |
| TTYL | Talk to you later |
| TTYS | Talk to you soon |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| VIQ | Verbal IQ |
| VR | Vocational Rehabilitation |
| WTG | Way to go! |
| YMMV | Your Mileage May Vary (meaning, individual experiences could be different) |
| YO | Year Old |
| hyper | Having too much of something such as hyperactivity which refers to extremely enegetic activity |
| hypo | Having too little of something such as hypoactivity which refers to not being very active |
| self-contained | In reference to special education, refers to schools or classrooms containing only special needs population. |
Another good site for abbreviations and acroynms: www.springmeade.com/okwww/Acros.html