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Autism Resource, Acronyms, Terms

From , former About.com Guide

Updated August 25, 2008

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Every now and then, you'll catch someone discussing or describing autism with actual words. I've listed a few of the most common below. You may be able to find a few of them in Webster's dictionary -- but many have been invented in just the last few years.

Much more often, though, you'll hear people tossing around letters. If you thought Army acronyms were tough, you'll find that the autism community's jargon is even tougher! The handy list below, though, should get you most conversations with doctors, therapists, or teachers.

Read on to find quick definitions of Autism Spectrum Disorders and terms you're likely to meet. You'll also find a long list of acronyms that are in common use in the autism world. Of course, this is only a start -- there's always more to learn!

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