Asperger's Syndrome

Individuals with Asperger's display the following characteristics: abnormal speech content, unusual verbal and nonverbal communication, impaired social interaction, presence of repetitive activities, resistance to change, poor motor coordination, intense interest in one or two subjects.

Tourette's Syndrome

A neurological disorder involving involuntary motor and vocal tics such as coughing, blinking, sniffing, hopping, kicking, and at times obscene words. The tics have been present for long periods and are continually replaced by new tics. Stress and anxiety cause an increase in tic behaviors. It is frequently associated with obsessive-compulsive behavior and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children.

ADHD - Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

A syndrome whose primary features are inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity.

ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder

The characteristics of inattention, distractibility, and disorganization are present but not overactivity.

LD - Learning Disabilities

Neurologically based deficits in one or more of the following: understanding or using language in verbal or written form, reading, writing, spelling, or mathematical calculation.

NVLD - Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities are characterized by difficulty with visual stimuli, sensory perceptual difficulties, disorganization and an inability to create visual images or internalize visual material.

OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

A neurologically based disorder where individuals experience compulsions to engage in perseverative behaviors (handwashing, food rituals, lining up objects, ) which are tied to obssessive thoughts. Usually the person engages in the ritual to temporarily relieve feelings of anxiety. Children may particularly engage in ritualistic behaviors at bedtime.

Rett Syndrome

A genetic disorder seen primarily in females. During the second year of life, girls with this disorder lose previously acquired skills and exhibit autistic-like features. They may also exhibit irritability; poor sleep habits and crying episodes. They may experience difficulty with equilibrium and have an irregular gait. Many have seizures and hyperventilate or have breath-holding spells. Most characteristic of this disorder are stereotypic movements of the hands such as "wringing" and "washing".

SID - Sensory Integration Dysfunction

A disruption in the process of intake, organization and output of sensory information. Individuals who intake too much sensory information experience a brain overload and as a result avoid sensory stimuli. In contrast, when too little sensory information is processed, the individual seeks out more stimuli.

Tics

Sudden, rapid, recurrent, nonrhythmic, stereotyped motor movements or vocalizations.

MR-Mental Retardation

Subaverage general intellectual functioning that is accompanied by significant limitations in adaptive functioning in the following areas communication, self-care, social/interpersonal skills or self-direction.

PDD - Pervasive Developmental Disorder

The presence of a severe and pervasive impairment in development in the following areas: reciprocal social interaction, communication, or the presence of stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities.

CDD - Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

A marked regression in multiple areas of functioning which occurs after a two year period of normal development. The child has a significant loss of previously acquired skills in the areas of expressive or receptive language, social skills, adaptive behavior, bowel or bladder control, play, or motor skills.