Common Acronyms

A collection of helpful terms for quick reference

Diagnosis Acronyms:

• CP - Cerebral Palsy
• HIE - Hypoxic Ischemic Encephelopathy
• IS - Infantile Spasms
• CVI - Cortical Visual Impairment/Inattentiveness
• DVM - Delayed Visual Maturation
• ID/LD - Intellectual/Learning Disabilities
• ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder
• SPD - Sensory Processing Disorder
• AS - Asperger’s Syndrome
• GDD - Global Developmental Delay
• SQCP - Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy
• GERD - Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Diagnostic Tools Acronyms:

• MRI - Magnetic resonance imaging
• EEG - Electroencephalogram

Medical Professionals Abbreviations:

• Ped - Pediatrician
• Neuro - Neurologist
• Ortho - Orthopedist
• GI - Gastroenterologist
• PM&R/PMR - Physiatrist or Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Care/Hospitalization Acronyms:

• NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (also called a SCBU)
• PICU - Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
• SCBU - Special Care Baby Unit (also called a NICU)

General Acronyms:

• NT - Neurologically (or Neuro) Typical
• SN - Special Needs

Equipment Acronyms:

• AFO - Ankle Foot Orthosis
• SMO - Supra Malleolar Orthosis (short ankle orthosis)
• KAFO - Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis
• SWASH brace - Sitting Walking And Standing Hip orthosis
• TLSO - Thoracolumbosacral orthosis
• CI - Cochlear Implant

Surgical Acronyms:

• SDR - Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy
• SPML - Selective Percutaneous Myofascial Lengthening

Feeding-Related Acronyms:

• NG/NGT - Nasal Gastric Tube
• PEG - Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy
• G-Tube - Gastronomy Tube
• NPO - Nil Per Os (nil by mouth)
• Fundo - Nissan Fundoplication

Therapy-Related Acronyms:

• OT - Occupational Therapy
• PT - Physical Therapy
• ST - Speech Therapy
• SALT - Speech and Language Therapist
• ABM - Anat Baniel Method
• MNRI - Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Integration
• NDT - Neuro Developmental Training/Technique

Communication-Related Acronyms:

• AAC - Alternative Augmentative Communication
• AT - Assistive Technology

Education-Related Acronyms:

• IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• EI - Early Intervention
• TC - Teacher Consultant
• IEP - Individualized Education Program/Plan
• IFSP - Individualized Family Service Program/Plan
• ECSE - Early Childhood Special Education
• ESD - Extended School Day
• FAPE - Free and Appropriate Education
• LRE - Least Restrictive Environment
• PI - Physical Impairment
• OHI - Other Health Impairment (many children with HIE are covered under EI with this)
• D/HH - Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• HI - Hearing Impaired
• DB - Deaf Blindness
• ECDD - Early Childhood Developmental Delay
• EI - Emotional Impairment
• SXI - Severe Multiple Impairment
• SLI - Speech and Language Impairment
• TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury (some states separate this out from a HIE event)
• VI - Visual Impairment
• CI - Cognitive Impairment