SN board acronyms and abbreviations

[coppertop]

Following on from a post on another thread about how SN abbreviations and acronyms can seem like a secret code sometimes, would it be a good idea to ask MNHQ to add something about how some of them are listed in the general Acronyms section? What about the idea of a link to SN terminology in general? eg I have no idea what some of the medical equipment mentioned on here is but don't always like to ask for explanations.

Any thoughts/ideas to pass on to MNHQ?

i like the sound of a link to SN terminology, that seems a good idea as i to get a bit confused sometimes with all abbreviations

i think that is a good idea
I know about cp stuff
But a lot of the asd and autism things are beyond me

2shoes - I'm the other way around. I also get lost with things like piedros, daffos (sp?) and splints.

Tis very confusing sometimes.

Yes I think it is a very good idea. When DD was being diagnosed I felt like I had been transported to a parallel universe where everyone spoke this strange language.

And I'm still always finding new ones! If we could offer a list and contribute new ones when they come up that would be good.

thanks for the link coppertop!

It seems to me that special needs is a fairly specialised subject, more so than many of the topics discussed day to day on MN.
So, maybe an extra paragraph in red at the top of each SN thread with a link to more information, such as:
key to abbreviations
links to useful threads that define things?
Short descriptions of things like Aspergers syndrome, Downs syndrome, from a parents point of view, eg the range of behaviour/abilities?

think that would be a fab idea. it would also be very good for those who are considering the possibility of their child having a difficulty.

it does take me a while to work out what some posts are on about soemtimes.

Okay. I've made a start on some of the more general things but at the moment it's very autism-biased because I don't really know enough about other areas to confidently say what they are/mean.

If I post what I've got already (bit by bit or it will be the longest ever post on mumsnet) can people look through it and:

• Tell me if they disagree with the explanations (I promise not to be offended )

• Fill in the blank bits

• Add any others that I've forgotten as I'm sure there are loads.

• Add any that you've seen on MN that you don't know the meaning of.

If possible it would also be great if people could add SNs that they or their children have that I haven't mentioned. Even better if you could add the website address of somewhere that either gives a full description of that condition/syndrome/SN or a place that could offer specific support for families with that SN. We already have an SN webguide but there isn't much on there atm and it would be good if we could cross-reference to it. You may be the only SN poster atm with a family member/friend with a specific SN but there's a chance that a newbie might come along in the future looking for help/advice about the same thing.

If something's missing then it's because I've either forgotten it or don't know it - and not because it's irrelevant.

This may take a while......

A

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder (autism)

AS - Aspergers Syndrome

ADHD - Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity Disorder

B

BIBIC - British Institute for Brain Injured Children

Back-chaining - A method of teaching by showing someone how to do something by showing the end of the task first and then working backwards, eg learning to put on trousers by first teaching the person to pull them up from knee-high, then from ankle-high, then showing them how to put feet in etc.

C

CF - Cystic Fibrosis

CF - Casein Free

CDC - Child Development Centre - a place where professionals work together to assess a child's development and give a diagnosis if needed.

CP - Cerebral Palsy

Child Psych - Child Psychologist

CHASE - ?

D

DS - Downs Syndrome

Dx - Diagnosis

Dx'ed - Diagnosed

DAFFOs - ?

DLA - Disability Living Allowance - a non means-tested benefit/payment awarded to a child if they need more care than an average child of the same age. Also awarded to adults [anyone know the criteria for this?}

DSA - Downs Syndrome Association

DDA - Disability Discrimination Act

Dev Paed - Developmental Paediatrician - a Paediatrician who specialises in child development.

DPs - Direct Payments {anyone know more?}

E

Ed Psych - Educational Psychologist {description?}

F

Fragile X - ?

G

GF - Gluten Free

H

HFA - High-Functioning Autism - at the milder end of the autistic spectrum.

Hypotonia - ?

Hypertonia - ?

Hydrocephaly - ?

See? Already I can see I've even missed out obvious ones like dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Dd is howling so I'll be back later.

I

IEP - Individual Education Plan - this sets out targets for the child to work towards. The targets will vary according to the needs of the individual child but can be social as well as academic. The plan should include the methods to be used to achieve the targets and also criteria to determine success, eg "X will write the letters b, d, l and j correctly. This will be achieved by working 1:1 with Mrs X, by using the interactive whiteboard and with pencil and paper. X will form the letters consistently over a period of 2 weeks."

J ? K ? L

LFA - Low-Functioning Autism - at the more severe end of the autistic spectrum.

M

Mutism - ? because I'm not sure whether it goes under 'selective' or 'elective' and don't know the accurate way to describe it.

MLD - Moderate Learning difficulties

Microcephaly - ?

Mickey-button - ? I've seen this one on the SN board but don't really know what it is.

N

NT - Neurologically Typical - ie has no SN

Noonans Syndrome - I know Piffle's dd has this but don't know much about it.

O

OT - Occupational Therapy/Therapist

Outreach - ?

P

PLD - Profound Learning Difficulties

PP - Parent Partnership [description?}

Physio - Physiotherapy/Physiotherapist

Piedros - ?

PECS - Picture Exchange Communication System

Q

?

R ? S

SALT - Speech and Language Therapy/Therapist

SENCO - Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

SLD - Severe Learning Difficulties

School Action - the first stage of recognising that a child needs extra help in school. Help is provided without input of people/professionals from outside the school.

School Action Plus - the second stage of giving a child extra help in school. Professionals are brought in to advise.

Statement - a legal document setting out the help an LEA must provide for a child with special needs.

SID - Sensory Integration Disorder - where the senses may be either too sensitive (eg noises seem too loud, lights seem too bright, clothes are itchy or painful) or not sensitive enough (eg feels little or no pain, doesn't feel the cold).

Social Story - (need the little TM thingy here ) A story written in a particular way to explain a given situation or to help change behaviour, especially for children with autism.

Sotos Syndrome - I think HITC's dd has this but again I know very little about it.

T ? U ? V ? W

Williams Syndrome - ? another one I know very little about.

X ? Y ? Z

?

I know there must be a lot that I've missed out.

CAMHS - ?

LSA - Learning Support Assistant

Maybe they could have an acronym list with a link to an explanitory website for those of us who want to know and understand other conditions??

\link{http://www.cafamily.org.uk/\contact a family} is good for explaining conditions.

GDD - Global Development Delay
ACC - Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum

sorry - will add more later - in a rush! Good idea though CT.

dafo-dynamic ankle foot orthoses
afo-ankle foot orthoses
grafo-ground reaction ankle foot orthoses
all splints of vary forms.