Dictionnaire du neurodéveloppement

Adaptive behaviour — Conceptual, social and practical skills used in daily life (communicating, getting around, dressing, managing time) to be autonomous and meet environmental expectations. Voir aussi : Disorder of intellectual development, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Occupational therapy assessment

Agnosia — A disorder of recognising a stimulus despite sufficiently preserved elementary sensory perception. Voir aussi : Gnosis

Angelman syndrome — A rare genetic condition combining intellectual disability, near absence of speech, balance problems and epilepsy. Voir aussi : Epilepsy, Augmentative and alternative communication, Language delay

Anxiety — Excessive worry or apprehension about ordinary situations that interferes with activities and may come with physical symptoms. Voir aussi : Selective mutism, Separation anxiety disorder, Emotion regulation, Cognitive behavioural therapy, Fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome, 22q11 deletion syndrome, Childhood insomnia

Apraxia — Difficulty carrying out a learned voluntary movement despite sufficient strength, sensation and understanding. Voir aussi : Praxis, Developmental coordination disorder

Articulation — The motor production of speech sounds through movements of the lips, tongue, jaw and soft palate. Voir aussi : Developmental speech sound disorder, Phonology, Speech delay

Assistive tools — Tools that compensate for a difficulty: computer, text-to-speech, spellchecker, enlarged materials. Voir aussi : Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, School accommodation

Attention — The set of processes that allow useful information to be selected, sustained over time and shared among several tasks. Voir aussi : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Working memory, Inattention, Executive functions, Processing speed

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — A neurodevelopmental disorder defined by a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, more marked than usually seen at that age, which interferes with functioning at home, at school or at work. Voir aussi : Neurodevelopmental disorder, Impulsivity, Comorbidity, Executive functions, Attention, Inattention, Hyperactivity, Tourette syndrome, Oppositional defiant disorder, 22q11 deletion syndrome, Neurofibromatosis type 1, Sleep disorder

Augmentative and alternative communication — Means that supplement or replace speech to communicate: gestures, pictograms, communication books or tablets, speech synthesis. Voir aussi : Communication, Autism spectrum disorder, Spoken language, Angelman syndrome

Autism spectrum disorder — A neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent differences in communication and social interaction, together with restricted, repetitive behaviours, interests or activities, and often sensory differences. Voir aussi : Neurodevelopmental disorder, Comorbidity, Social interaction, Stereotypies, Restricted interests, Communication, Sensory hypersensitivity, Screening, Stereotyped movement disorder, Pragmatics, Echolalia, Augmentative and alternative communication, Social cognition, Theory of mind, Sensory processing, Fragile X syndrome, 22q11 deletion syndrome, Tuberous sclerosis complex, Sleep disorder

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder — Restricted eating, without concern about body shape, linked to low interest in eating, avoidance of sensory features of food or fear of consequences, with an effect on growth or functioning. Voir aussi : Food neophobia, Sensory hypersensitivity, Oral feeding skills, Food selectivity

Balance — The ability to maintain or regain a stable body position, at rest or in motion. Voir aussi : Gross motor skills, Motor coordination, Vestibular system, Cerebellum

Bilingualism — Regular use of two or more languages in daily life; it does not cause language disorder, but assessment must take all of a child's languages into account. Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Language acquisition, Lexicon

Body schema — The representation one has of one's own body, its parts and their positions, built from sensation and movement. Voir aussi : Motor coordination, Proprioception, Praxis, Laterality, Psychomotor assessment, Psychomotor therapy

Brain imaging — Techniques (MRI, CT scan) that show the structure of the brain to rule out or confirm a cause. Voir aussi : Diagnosis

Brain plasticity — The brain's ability to reorganise through experience, especially in childhood, which underlies the effect of therapy. Voir aussi : Cognitive remediation, Psychomotor development

Calculation — The set of operations on numbers (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing) that rely on understanding numbers, memorised number facts and procedures. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Dyscalculia, Working memory, Number sense

Cerebellum — A structure at the back of the brain that coordinates movement and balance. Voir aussi : Motor coordination, Balance

Cerebral palsy — A group of movement and posture disorders due to non-progressive damage to the developing brain. Voir aussi : Muscle tone, Motor coordination, Gross motor skills, Prematurity

Childhood insomnia — Difficulty falling asleep or frequent night waking in a child, affecting the day for the child and family. Voir aussi : Sleep disorder, Anxiety

Cognitive behavioural therapy — A structured psychological approach working on thoughts, emotions and behaviours through concrete goals. Voir aussi : Anxiety, Emotion regulation

Cognitive flexibility — The ability to change strategy, viewpoint or task when the situation requires it. Voir aussi : Executive functions, Restricted interests

Cognitive remediation — Structured training of functions such as attention, memory or planning with adapted exercises. Voir aussi : Working memory, Executive functions, Neuropsychological assessment, Brain plasticity

Communication — The exchange of information, intentions and emotions with others through speech, gestures, gaze, facial expressions, writing or adapted tools. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Selective mutism, Augmentative and alternative communication, Social interaction, Spoken language, Pragmatics, Echolalia, Prosody, Rett syndrome

Comorbidity — The presence of several disorders or diseases in the same person, which may influence each other and need to be identified to adapt support. Voir aussi : Neurodevelopmental disorder, Autism spectrum disorder, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette syndrome, Oppositional defiant disorder, Differential diagnosis

Deafness — A reduction in hearing, from mild to profound, which may delay language acquisition and must be looked for in any language delay. Voir aussi : Hearing acuity, Developmental language disorder, Language delay

Decoding — Converting letters into sounds to identify a written word; it becomes automatic with practice in the skilled reader. Voir aussi : Dyslexia, Phonological awareness, Reading, Reading fluency

Developmental coordination disorder — A motor development disorder in which acquiring and carrying out coordinated movements (dressing, writing, running, cycling) remains clearly below age expectations, with a lasting effect on daily and school life. Voir aussi : Neurodevelopmental disorder, Dysgraphia, Visual-motor integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Motor coordination, Praxis, Motor planning, Apraxia

Developmental language disorder — A persistent difficulty acquiring and using spoken language (understanding or expression) that is not explained by hearing loss, intellectual disability or another neurological condition, and that affects communication and learning. Voir aussi : Neurodevelopmental disorder, Lexicon, Speech and language assessment, Syntax, Oral comprehension, Language acquisition, Oral expression, Spoken language, Language delay, Bilingualism, Deafness

Developmental milestones — Reference steps expected at a given age (walking, first words, shared play) that help detect atypical development. Voir aussi : Global developmental delay, Language acquisition, Psychomotor development, Screening

Developmental speech sound disorder — A persistent difficulty producing the sounds of the language and organising them into words, making the child's speech hard to understand for their age. Voir aussi : Phonology, Phonological awareness, Speech delay, Articulation

Diagnosis — A conclusion reached by a physician or team after assessment that names a condition according to recognised criteria. Voir aussi : Differential diagnosis, Screening, Neuropsychological assessment, Brain imaging, Genetic counselling

Differential diagnosis — The process of ruling out, among the possible causes of a set of signs, those that explain them less well, in order to retain the most likely diagnosis. Voir aussi : Comorbidity, Diagnosis, Neuropsychological assessment

Disfluency — A break in the flow of speech: repetitions, blocks, prolonged sounds. Voir aussi : Stuttering, Fluency

Disorder of intellectual development — A disorder beginning in the developmental period, combining significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour that affect daily life, learning and autonomy. Voir aussi : Neurodevelopmental disorder, Adaptive behaviour, Global developmental delay, Intelligence quotient, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Williams syndrome

Down syndrome — A genetic condition caused by an extra chromosome 21, associated with variable intellectual disability and specific health features. Voir aussi : Disorder of intellectual development, Hypotonia, Language delay

Dyscalculia — A specific difficulty learning arithmetic: understanding numbers, memorising number facts and calculating remain durably difficult, apart from intellectual disability or inadequate teaching. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Working memory, Calculation, Number sense

Dysgraphia — A lasting difficulty with handwriting, which is slow, hard to read or very effortful, most often linked to difficulty with the movements of writing. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Dysorthography, Graphomotor skills, Fine motor skills, Developmental coordination disorder, Writing, Assistive tools

Dyslexia — A specific difficulty learning to read: identifying written words remains slow, inaccurate and effortful despite appropriate teaching, often with associated spelling difficulties. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Reading, Dysorthography, Decoding, Reading fluency, Phonological awareness, Written language, Phonology, Assistive tools

Dysorthography — A specific difficulty acquiring spelling: errors are frequent, persistent and resistant to correction, for example in sound-letter correspondences or in agreements. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Spelling

Dysphagia — Difficulty swallowing, with risks of choking, coughing at meals or very long meals; it calls for medical and speech-language assessment. Voir aussi : Swallowing, Oral feeding skills

Echolalia — Immediate or delayed repetition of words or phrases heard; it may occur in language development and is seen notably in autism. Voir aussi : Communication, Autism spectrum disorder, Pragmatics

Electroencephalogram — A painless test that records the brain's electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp. Voir aussi : Epilepsy, Epileptic seizure

Emotion regulation — The ability to recognise one's emotions, modulate them and respond in a way suited to the situation. Voir aussi : Selective mutism, Oppositional defiant disorder, Separation anxiety disorder, Impulsivity, Inhibition, Anxiety, Sensory meltdown, Parent guidance, Cognitive behavioural therapy

Epilepsy — A brain disorder characterised by recurrent spontaneous epileptic seizures. Voir aussi : Epileptic seizure, Electroencephalogram, Rett syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Tuberous sclerosis complex

Epileptic seizure — A sudden, temporary event caused by abnormal neuronal discharge: absence, jerking or loss of consciousness. Voir aussi : Epilepsy, Electroencephalogram

Executive functions — Cognitive processes that allow a person to set goals, plan, organise, control reactions and adapt to new situations; they rely notably on the prefrontal cortex. Voir aussi : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Attention, Frontal lobe, Inhibition, Cognitive flexibility, Planning, Working memory, Processing speed, Neuropsychological assessment, Cognitive remediation

Fine motor skills — Precise movements of the hands and fingers: grasping, buttoning, cutting, drawing, writing. Voir aussi : Dysgraphia, Developmental coordination disorder, Writing, Gross motor skills, Graphomotor skills, Motor coordination, Visual-motor integration, Laterality, Psychomotor development, Psychomotor assessment, Rett syndrome

Fluency — The ease and regularity with which one speaks, reads or produces words. Voir aussi : Stuttering, Disfluency, Reading fluency

Food neophobia — Fear or refusal of trying new foods; it is common in young children and becomes a concern when it persists or greatly restricts diet. Voir aussi : Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, Oral feeding skills, Food selectivity

Food selectivity — A very narrow range of accepted foods, often linked to texture, taste or appearance, which may limit nutritional balance. Voir aussi : Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, Oral feeding skills, Food neophobia, Sensory hypersensitivity, Prader-Willi syndrome

Fragile X syndrome — An X-linked genetic condition, the leading inherited cause of intellectual disability, sometimes with autistic traits and anxiety. Voir aussi : Disorder of intellectual development, Anxiety, Autism spectrum disorder, Genetic counselling

Frontal lobe — The front region of the cerebral cortex involved in planning, impulse control and language. Voir aussi : Executive functions, Planning, Inhibition

Genetic counselling — A consultation explaining the origin of a genetic condition, the risk to the family and the available choices. Voir aussi : Diagnosis, Fragile X syndrome

Global developmental delay — A significant delay in acquisitions across several areas of development in a young child, used while the level of functioning cannot yet be assessed reliably. Voir aussi : Disorder of intellectual development, Developmental milestones, Psychomotor development, Hypotonia, Prematurity

Gnosis — The function that allows a stimulus (object, face, sound, shape) to be recognised through perception combined with memory. Voir aussi : Visual perception, Agnosia

Graphomotor skills — Drawing movements (lines, loops, shapes) that prepare for and support handwriting. Voir aussi : Dysgraphia, Writing, Fine motor skills, Visual-motor integration, Occupational therapy assessment, Occupational therapy

Gross motor skills — Movements involving the whole body: walking, running, jumping, climbing, keeping balance. Voir aussi : Developmental coordination disorder, Fine motor skills, Motor coordination, Balance, Psychomotor development, Muscle tone, Psychomotor assessment, Cerebral palsy

Hearing acuity — The ability to perceive sounds according to their intensity and frequency. Voir aussi : Hyperacusis, Deafness, Spoken language

Hippocampus — A brain structure in the temporal lobe essential to forming memories. Voir aussi : Long-term memory

Hyperactivity — Excessive motor restlessness for age and situation: difficulty staying seated, staying calm or waiting, often with disorganised activity. Voir aussi : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Impulsivity

Hyperacusis — Excessive sensitivity to ordinary sounds, perceived as too loud or unpleasant, sometimes painful. Voir aussi : Sensory hypersensitivity, Hearing acuity

Hypotonia — Reduced muscle tone, giving a "floppy" body that may delay an infant's motor milestones; it has varied causes that a doctor must look for. Voir aussi : Muscle tone, Global developmental delay, Down syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome

Impulsivity — A tendency to act or respond without thinking about consequences, for example interrupting or struggling to wait for one's turn. Voir aussi : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder, Hyperactivity, Emotion regulation, Inhibition

Inattention — Difficulty keeping concentration on a task, following instructions through or getting organised, not due to defiance or a lack of understanding. Voir aussi : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Attention

Individualised plan — A document setting out an individual pupil's goals, supports and follow-up, drawn up with the family and the team. Voir aussi : School accommodation, Teaching accommodations, School inclusion, Parent guidance

Inhibition — The ability to hold back an automatic response or ignore irrelevant information in order to act appropriately. Voir aussi : Impulsivity, Executive functions, Emotion regulation, Frontal lobe

Intelligence quotient — A standardised score obtained on an intelligence test, locating a person's performance relative to their age group; it is not enough by itself to describe a person's functioning. Voir aussi : Disorder of intellectual development, Processing speed, Standard score, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Neuropsychological assessment

Language acquisition — The gradual process by which a child develops understanding and production of language, from first sounds and communicative gestures to constructed sentences. Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Developmental milestones, Spoken language, Language delay, Lexicon, Bilingualism, Psychomotor development

Language delay — Late onset or slow progress of language in a young child compared with usual milestones; it may resolve or signal a more lasting disorder, hence the value of an assessment. Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Language acquisition, Speech delay, Deafness, Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome

Laterality — The preference for using one side of the body (hand, foot, eye, ear) to carry out actions; it becomes established gradually during childhood. Voir aussi : Fine motor skills, Body schema, Psychomotor assessment

Lexicon — The set of words a person understands (receptive vocabulary) and uses (expressive vocabulary). Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Spoken language, Syntax, Language acquisition, Oral expression, Bilingualism, Reading comprehension

Long-term memory — The durable storage of knowledge, memories and skills, from minutes to a lifetime. Voir aussi : Working memory, Hippocampus

Motor coordination — The ability to combine several movements harmoniously, smoothly and in the right order to carry out an action. Voir aussi : Developmental coordination disorder, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Balance, Praxis, Body schema, Psychomotor therapy, Cerebellum, Cerebral palsy

Motor planning — The ability to conceive and mentally order the sequence of movements needed to carry out a new or complex action. Voir aussi : Developmental coordination disorder, Praxis

Muscle tone — The slight constant tension of muscles that supports posture and prepares movement; it can be too low (hypotonia) or too high (hypertonia). Voir aussi : Hypotonia, Gross motor skills, Cerebral palsy

Neurodevelopmental disorder — A lasting difficulty arising during development that disrupts the acquisition of skills in one or more areas: language, communication, motor skills, learning, attention, social interaction or intellectual functioning. Voir aussi : Comorbidity, Disorder of intellectual development, Autism spectrum disorder, Developmental coordination disorder, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Developmental language disorder, Specific learning disorder

Neurofibromatosis type 1 — A genetic disease with café-au-lait skin spots and neurofibromas, often associated with attention and learning difficulties. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Neuropsychological assessment — An evaluation of cognitive functions (attention, memory, executive functions, reasoning) using standardised tests. Voir aussi : Differential diagnosis, Diagnosis, Working memory, Executive functions, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Intelligence quotient, Cognitive remediation

Norms — The results of a reference group used to place a child's performance relative to age. Voir aussi : Standardised test, Standard score

Number sense — An intuition for quantities: comparing sets, estimating, placing a number relative to others, which underpins learning to calculate. Voir aussi : Dyscalculia, Calculation

Occupational therapy — Support that helps a child gain independence in daily tasks, handwriting and adapting the environment. Voir aussi : Sensory processing, Graphomotor skills, Occupational therapy assessment

Occupational therapy assessment — An evaluation of a child's abilities in daily, school and play activities by an occupational therapist. Voir aussi : Sensory processing, Graphomotor skills, Adaptive behaviour, Occupational therapy

Oppositional defiant disorder — A persistent pattern of anger, irritability, defiance and opposition toward authority figures that goes beyond what is usual for age and interferes with family or school life. Voir aussi : Comorbidity, Impulsivity, Emotion regulation, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Oral comprehension — The ability to understand what is said: words, sentences, instructions and the meaning of speech. Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Spoken language, Oral expression

Oral expression — The ability to produce spoken language to make oneself understood: choosing words, building sentences and telling a story. Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Spoken language, Oral comprehension, Lexicon, Syntax

Oral feeding skills — The mouth functions involved in eating: sucking, chewing, swallowing, along with enjoyment and acceptance of textures and tastes. Voir aussi : Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, Swallowing, Food neophobia, Food selectivity, Dysphagia

Parent guidance — Support given to parents to understand their child's needs and adapt daily life. Voir aussi : Individualised plan, Emotion regulation

Phonological awareness — The ability to notice and manipulate the sounds of language independently of meaning: splitting a word into syllables or sounds, recognising rhymes, blending sounds. Voir aussi : Developmental speech sound disorder, Dyslexia, Phonology, Decoding, Reading

Phonology — The organisation of a language's sounds into units that distinguish words (phonemes) and the rules governing how they combine. Voir aussi : Developmental speech sound disorder, Spoken language, Dyslexia, Phonological awareness, Articulation, Spelling

Planning — The ability to arrange in advance the steps needed to reach a goal and to order them in time. Voir aussi : Executive functions, Working memory, Frontal lobe

Prader-Willi syndrome — A rare genetic condition marked by neonatal hypotonia, later an insatiable appetite and learning difficulties. Voir aussi : Disorder of intellectual development, Hypotonia, Food selectivity

Pragmatics — The social use of language: adapting what one says to the situation and the listener, taking turns, and understanding implied meaning and humour. Voir aussi : Communication, Autism spectrum disorder, Theory of mind, Social interaction, Echolalia, Prosody

Praxis — Voluntary, organised and learned movements directed at a goal (combing hair, using scissors, tying a knot), carried out where strength and sensation are not the problem. Voir aussi : Developmental coordination disorder, Motor coordination, Apraxia, Motor planning, Body schema

Prematurity — Birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy, which raises the risk of developmental difficulties and calls for follow-up. Voir aussi : Cerebral palsy, Global developmental delay, Psychomotor development

Processing speed — How quickly a person perceives, processes and responds to simple information; it influences working pace. Voir aussi : Attention, Executive functions, Intelligence quotient

Proprioception — The sense of the position and movement of one's own limbs, through sensors in muscles, tendons and joints. Voir aussi : Body schema, Sensory integration, Vestibular system

Prosody — The melody of speech: intonation, rhythm, stress and loudness, which carry meaning and emotion. Voir aussi : Communication, Spoken language, Pragmatics

Psychomotor assessment — An evaluation of movement, coordination, balance and body schema by a psychomotor therapist. Voir aussi : Fine motor skills, Laterality, Gross motor skills, Body schema, Psychomotor therapy

Psychomotor development — The joint progression of motor skills, language, cognition and social relations through childhood. Voir aussi : Global developmental delay, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Developmental milestones, Language acquisition, Brain plasticity, Prematurity

Psychomotor therapy — Care that works on the links between body, emotions and thinking through movement and play. Voir aussi : Psychomotor assessment, Motor coordination, Body schema

Reading — The activity of identifying written words (decoding) and understanding their meaning in a text. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Dyslexia, Written language, Phonological awareness, Decoding, Reading fluency, Reading comprehension

Reading comprehension — The ability to build the meaning of a text that has been read by linking information together and with prior knowledge; it depends on decoding and on spoken language. Voir aussi : Reading, Lexicon, Spoken language, Working memory

Reading fluency — The ability to read a text accurately, at a suitable pace and with natural intonation, freeing attention for understanding. Voir aussi : Dyslexia, Reading, Decoding, Fluency

Restricted interests — Very intense interests limited to a few subjects that take up a large part of daily life. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Cognitive flexibility, Stereotypies

Rett syndrome — A rare genetic condition mostly affecting girls, with loss of hand skills and language after initially typical development. Voir aussi : Epilepsy, Fine motor skills, Communication

School accommodation — Adjustments to teaching and assessment that let a pupil take part and learn. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Individualised plan, Teaching accommodations, School inclusion, Assistive tools

School inclusion — Schooling of all pupils in the mainstream school, with the supports they need to succeed. Voir aussi : Individualised plan, School accommodation

Screening — A quick, simple step that identifies children who need a fuller assessment; it does not give a diagnosis. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Developmental milestones, Diagnosis, Speech and language assessment

Selective mutism — A persistent inability to speak in specific social situations (for example at school) while the child speaks normally in others, notably at home. Voir aussi : Anxiety, Communication, Emotion regulation

Sensory hypersensitivity — An intense reaction or marked discomfort to ordinary stimulation (noise, light, clothing labels, textures), which may lead to avoidance. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, Sensory integration, Sensory processing, Hyperacusis, Sensory hyposensitivity, Food selectivity, Sensory meltdown

Sensory hyposensitivity — A weak or delayed reaction to stimulation, for example little reaction to pain, heat or cold, or to one's name being called. Voir aussi : Sensory processing, Sensory hypersensitivity, Sensory seeking

Sensory integration — The brain's organisation of information coming from the senses and the body in order to produce an adapted response. Voir aussi : Sensory processing, Sensory hypersensitivity, Proprioception, Vestibular system

Sensory meltdown — An intense distress reaction triggered by an overload of stimulation (noise, light, touch), different from a tantrum. Voir aussi : Sensory hypersensitivity, Emotion regulation

Sensory processing — The way a person receives, interprets and reacts to stimulation from the environment (sounds, lights, touch, tastes, smells, movement). Voir aussi : Sensory integration, Sensory seeking, Autism spectrum disorder, Sensory hypersensitivity, Sensory hyposensitivity, Occupational therapy assessment, Occupational therapy

Sensory seeking — An active search for stimulation (spinning, jumping, touching, smelling, looking closely) to obtain more sensation. Voir aussi : Sensory processing, Sensory hyposensitivity, Stereotypies

Separation anxiety disorder — Excessive, persistent fear or distress, out of proportion for age, about being separated from attachment figures, with an effect on sleep, school or activities. Voir aussi : Anxiety, Emotion regulation

Sleep disorder — A persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or getting restorative sleep. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Childhood insomnia, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Social cognition — The processes that allow people to understand others and interact with them: recognising emotions, interpreting intentions, adjusting behaviour. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Theory of mind, Social interaction, Williams syndrome

Social interaction — Reciprocal exchanges between two or more people, based on gaze, gesture, speech and the ability to take the other person into account. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Communication, Pragmatics, Social cognition, Theory of mind

Specific learning disorder — A persistent difficulty acquiring reading, written expression or arithmetic, clearly below what is expected for age despite appropriate teaching, not explained by intellectual or sensory disability. Voir aussi : Neurodevelopmental disorder, Dyslexia, Reading, Dysorthography, School accommodation, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Spelling, Calculation, Neurofibromatosis type 1

Speech and language assessment — An evaluation of spoken and written language, voice and communication carried out by a speech and language therapist. Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Screening, Written language, Spoken language, Speech and language therapy

Speech and language therapy — Regular sessions led by a speech and language therapist to work on language, speech, reading and writing. Voir aussi : Written language, Speech and language assessment, Spoken language

Speech delay — Difficulty pronouncing sounds or words correctly for age, while understanding and sentence building may be preserved. Voir aussi : Developmental speech sound disorder, Articulation, Language delay

Spelling — The correct way of writing a language's words, based on sound-letter correspondence, memory for words and agreement rules. Voir aussi : Specific learning disorder, Dysorthography, Written language, Phonology

Spoken language — The set of abilities to understand and express oneself through speech: sounds, words, sentences and use of language in conversation. Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Language acquisition, Lexicon, Syntax, Oral comprehension, Oral expression, Written language, Phonology, Communication, Prosody, Augmentative and alternative communication, Reading comprehension, Hearing acuity, Speech and language assessment, Speech and language therapy

Standard score — A test result converted to a common scale that shows the gap from the average of children of the same age. Voir aussi : Intelligence quotient, Standardised test, Norms

Standardised test — A test administered the same way to everyone and compared with the results of children of the same age. Voir aussi : Norms, Standard score, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

Stereotyped movement disorder — Repetitive, seemingly purposeless movements that begin early in development, persist over time and may interfere with activities or cause injury. Voir aussi : Stereotypies, Autism spectrum disorder, Tics

Stereotypies — Movements, gestures or sounds repeated in the same way with no apparent purpose, for example hand flapping or rocking. Voir aussi : Autism spectrum disorder, Stereotyped movement disorder, Tics, Sensory seeking, Restricted interests

Stuttering — A disruption of the flow of speech marked by repetitions, prolongations of sounds or blocks, which may come with tension or avoidance and interfere with communication. Voir aussi : Disfluency, Tics, Fluency

Swallowing — The act of swallowing, which carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach without entering the airways. Voir aussi : Oral feeding skills, Dysphagia

Syntax — The rules that organise words into correct sentences through word order and word forms (agreement, tense, pronouns). Voir aussi : Developmental language disorder, Spoken language, Lexicon, Oral expression

Teaching accommodations — Concrete classroom measures: extra time, adapted materials, reworded instructions, use of digital tools. Voir aussi : School accommodation, Individualised plan

Theory of mind — The ability to attribute to others thoughts, beliefs, desires and intentions different from one's own, and to use them to understand their behaviour. Voir aussi : Pragmatics, Social cognition, Autism spectrum disorder, Social interaction

Tics — Brief, sudden, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic movements or sounds that the person finds hard to hold back; they often increase with tiredness or stress. Voir aussi : Stuttering, Stereotyped movement disorder, Tourette syndrome, Stereotypies

Tourette syndrome — A neurological condition beginning in childhood, defined by multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic, lasting more than a year and usually fluctuating over time. Voir aussi : Comorbidity, Tics, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Tuberous sclerosis complex — A rare genetic disease causing benign tumours in several organs, with frequent epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Voir aussi : Epilepsy, Autism spectrum disorder

Vestibular system — The structures of the inner ear and brain that report head movements and balance. Voir aussi : Balance, Sensory integration, Proprioception

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales — A structured parent interview assessing independence in communication, daily living and socialisation. Voir aussi : Adaptive behaviour, Disorder of intellectual development

Visual acuity — The ability to distinguish fine details at a given distance; it is measured with age-appropriate tests. Voir aussi : Visual perception

Visual-motor integration — Coordination between what is seen and hand movement, needed to copy a shape or write on a line. Voir aussi : Developmental coordination disorder, Visual perception, Graphomotor skills, Fine motor skills

Visual perception — The ability to interpret what is seen: recognising shapes, distinguishing details, locating objects in space. Voir aussi : Gnosis, Visual acuity, Visual-motor integration

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children — A battery of standardised tests assessing several aspects of reasoning and information processing in children. Voir aussi : Intelligence quotient, Neuropsychological assessment, Standardised test

Williams syndrome — A rare genetic condition with a particular cognitive profile, marked sociability, heart anomalies and visuospatial difficulties. Voir aussi : Disorder of intellectual development, Anxiety, Social cognition

Working memory — A system that holds and manipulates a small amount of information for a few seconds, needed to follow an instruction, calculate mentally or understand a long sentence. Voir aussi : Dyscalculia, Reading comprehension, Calculation, Attention, Executive functions, Planning, Long-term memory, Neuropsychological assessment, Cognitive remediation

Writing — The production of written text, combining the handwriting movement, spelling and the formulation of ideas. Voir aussi : Dysgraphia, Written language, Graphomotor skills, Fine motor skills

Written language — The set of activities involving written language: reading, understanding a text, writing and spelling. Voir aussi : Spoken language, Reading, Dyslexia, Spelling, Writing, Speech and language assessment, Speech and language therapy

22q11 deletion syndrome — A genetic condition caused by loss of a fragment of chromosome 22, which may affect the heart, language, learning and attention. Voir aussi : Anxiety, Autism spectrum disorder, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder