Glossary

6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT): Functional assessment of endurance that measures how far an individual can walk in 6 minutes.

Activities of daily living (ADLs): Activities related to independent living such as dressing, preparing meals, bathing, and mobility.

Adapted toys: Toys that are adapted with special features for children with disabilities.

AGA: Appropriate for gestational age.

Aids for daily living: Any product, device, or equipment used in everyday, functional activities such as feeding, dressing, and attending to personal hygiene.

Alerting devices: Devices designed to alert a person with a hearing impairment that some condition is occurring, such as a smoke alarm or a doorbell ring.

Americans with Disabilities Education Act (ADA): A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportations, and all public and private places open to the general public.

Ankle-foot-orthosis (AFO): An orthotic device that provides functional support, positioning, or restriction of undesired movement at the ankle joint and foot.

Apgar: 8¹ 9⁵ indicates a score of 8 at 1 minute, and a score of 9 at 5 minutes.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA): A form of therapy based on the science of learning and behavior, that aims to increase desired behaviors to facilitate learning, and reduce behaviors that negatively impact learning.

ART: Artificial reproductive technology.

ASD: Atrial septal defect.

Asphyxia: A condition in which there is a deficiency of oxygen and an increase in carbon dioxide in the blood and tissues. Perinatal asphyxia is lack of oxygen just prior to, during, or shortly after birth.

Aspiration: Breathing a foreign substance such as meconium, formula, or stomach contents into the lungs.

Assistive technology (AT): Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

Assistive technology professional (ATP): A certification process that demonstrates that a person has met competence in analyzing the needs of consumers with disabilities in the selection of appropriate AT and providing training in the use of the selected devices.

Assistive technology services: The evaluation of the needs of a consumer in the purchasing, leasing, or acquisition of specific AT. Also includes selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing, or replacing specific devices and coordinating and using other services such as therapy, education, rehabilitation, and vocational training or technical assistance or training for professionals or others who provide services to the child.

Atelectasis: Collapse of the air sacs in the lungs.

Augmentative alternative communication (AAC): A set of devices, tools, and strategies that an individual uses to solve everyday communication challenges.

...