ABA: Applied Behavior Analysis uses analytic methods and research findings to change and redirect social behaviors. Read here for more information: http://www.polyxo.com/discretetrial/

APC: The Ambulatory Patient Care building, which is part of Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children's Hospital

APRI: Autism Project of Rhode Island

ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Asperger's Syndrome: One of the five Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Persons have greatly impaired social interaction skills and very repetitive, narrowed patterns of interests and behaviors

Autism Speaks!: An organization devoted to funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and cure for autism; to raise public awareness about autism; and to bring hope to children and families who are effected

CASSP: Services children and adolescents with behavioral emotional disorders, matching children and families with community-based services

CCFH: Center for Child and Family Health at the Department of Human Services

CEDARR: Comprehensive Evaluation, Diagnosis, Assessment, Referral, and Reevaluation Services and Supports. Family centers that help children with special health care needs and their families with professional assessment, specialty clinical evaluation, care planning, case management, and referral assistance and support.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder: According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, the essential feature of this diagnosis is a marked regression in multiple areas of functioning following a period of at least 2 years of apparently normal development. Before the age of 10 years, the child has a clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills in at least two of the following areas: expressive or receptive language, social skills or adaptive behavior, bowel or bladder control, play  or motor skills. Social and communicative deficits and behavioral features generally observed in Autistic Disorder are exhibited. There is qualitative impairment in social interaction and in communication, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or by Schizophrenia. This condition has also been termed Heller's syndrome, dementia infantilis, or disintegrative psychosis.

DHS: Department of Human Services

DOE: Department of Education

EI: Early Intervention

ESY: Extended School Year

HBTS: Home Based Therapeutic Services

IBT: Intensive Behavior Treatment

IACC: Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee

IEP: Individual Education Plan, a document developed by a child's educational team (including the parents) that outlines the student's individualized education program

Inclusion: Educating children, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the classroom and school that they would otherwise attend

Katie Beckett: A Medicaid waiver that allows families with special needs children to receive Medicaid so that their child may receive medical services and supports at home rather than being admitted to a hospital

MHRH: Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals

MR: Mental Retardation

NAAR: National Alliance for Autism Research

NIH: National Institutes of Health

NIMH: National Institute for Mental Health

OT: Occupational Therapy

PASS: Personal Assistance Services and Supports

PDD: Pervasive Developmental Disorder

PDD/NOS: Pervasive Developmental Disorder/ Not Otherwise Specified

PT: Physical Therapy

Respite: A short-term, temporary form of care provided to persons with disabilities in order to give their family members a break and a chance to relieve stress

Rett's Syndrome: According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, between ages 5 and 48 months, head growth decelerates. There is a loss of previously acquired purposeful hand skills between ages 5 and 30 months, with the subsequent development of characteristic stereotyped hand movements resembling hand-wringing or hand washing. Interest in the social environment diminishes in the first few years after the onset of the disorder, although social interaction may often develop later in the course. Problems develop in the coordination of gait or trunk movements. There is also severe impairment in expressive and receptive language development, with severe psychomotor retardation.

RITAP: Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project

RIte Share: Premium Assistance Program. If a family qualifies, RIte Share will pay for all or part of the employee's share of the health insurance premium. It also pays for co-payments in the employer's health insurance plan.

RIte Care: Rhode Island's Medicaid Managed Care Program. For families on the Family Independence Program and eligible, uninsured pregnant women, parents, and children up to age 19 with comprehensive health coverage. Families receive most of their health care through one of three participating health plans: Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, United Healthcare of New England, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

SI: Sensory Integration

SLP: Speech Language Pathology

SSI: Supplemental Security Income. Monthly payments made to people with low income and limited resources who are 65 or older, or blind, or disabled. Children under the age of 18 can qualify if they meet Social Security's definition of disability for children, and if his or her income and resources fall within the eligibility limits.

TEACCH: Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children, a state-wide program developed in North Carolina that uses picture schedules and other visual cues.