PE3.1-4,PE4.1-2 | Developmental Disorders — Glossary

The collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that enable a person to function in daily life; assessed by Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales; impairment in adaptive functioning is required alongside low IQ for the diagnosis of intellectual disability.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder — the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood, characterised by persistent inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that causes significant functional impairment in multiple settings.

Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised — a structured parent interview covering developmental history from infancy; used alongside ADOS-2 for comprehensive ASD diagnostic assessment.

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule — a semi-structured, standardised observational assessment considered the gold standard for ASD diagnosis; administered by trained psychologists or clinicians.

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition — a semi-structured, standardised observational assessment administered by a trained clinician; considered the gold standard for ASD diagnosis; available in modules for different language levels.

A therapy approach based on principles of learning and reinforcement used to teach communication, social, and adaptive skills in children with ASD; Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI) at 20–40 hours/week beginning before age 4 has the strongest evidence base.

A non-stimulant selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used as second-line pharmacotherapy for ADHD; preferred when stimulants are contraindicated, not tolerated, or when comorbid anxiety or tics are present; onset takes 4–6 weeks.

A lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction (Domain A) and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities (Domain B); diagnosed by DSM-5 criteria; formerly subdivided into autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, and PDD-NOS in DSM-IV.

A structured evidence-based intervention that teaches parents techniques (positive reinforcement, consistent consequences, clear instructions, predictable routines) to manage ADHD behaviour at home; evidence grade A for preschool ADHD.

Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry — an objective, electrophysiological hearing test that measures brainstem responses to sound; does not require the child's cooperation, making it the gold standard for hearing assessment in infants and children with developmental delay.

Childhood Autism Rating Scale — a clinician-administered 15-item standardised rating scale used to screen for and gauge the severity of autism spectrum disorder; scores <30 = not autistic, 30–36.5 = mild-moderate, ≥37 = severe.

A multidisciplinary outpatient facility providing comprehensive developmental assessment, diagnosis, and management planning for children with developmental delay and neurodevelopmental disorders; the team includes developmental paediatrician, physiotherapists, speech therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, special educator, and social worker.

ADHD subtype where both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity criteria are fully met; the most common presentation seen in clinical settings.

Thyroid hormone deficiency present from birth, most commonly due to thyroid agenesis or dysgenesis; causes intellectual disability (cretinism) if not detected and treated in the neonatal period via screening.

Standardised multi-informant questionnaires (parent and teacher versions) used to assess ADHD symptom frequency and severity; one of the most widely validated ADHD rating instruments.

Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants — a standardised, norm-referenced developmental assessment tool developed and validated for Indian children aged 0–30 months.

Denver Developmental Screening Test II — a widely used screening tool for children aged 0–6 years covering personal-social, fine motor-adaptive, language, and gross motor domains.

District Early Intervention Centre — a government-funded, RBSK-linked multidisciplinary facility providing CDU-equivalent services (assessment, diagnosis, therapy, referral) for children with developmental concerns from birth to 18 years; operational in every district of India.

Failure to attain expected developmental milestones for chronological age in one or more domains; termed global developmental delay (GDD) when two or more domains are affected in a child under five years.

Loss of previously acquired developmental milestones; always pathological and requires urgent investigation for neurodegenerative, metabolic, or structural brain pathology.

The most common chromosomal cause of intellectual disability, resulting from trisomy 21; associated with characteristic dysmorphic features, congenital heart disease, hypothyroidism, and leukaemia risk.

A planned period of stopping ADHD medication (typically during school holidays) to allow growth catch-up and reassess whether medication is still needed; also reduces the cumulative risk of growth suppression with long-term methylphenidate use.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (APA, 2013) — the current diagnostic classification system used for ADHD and other psychiatric disorders; replaced DSM-IV in 2013.

ASD 'requiring support' — social communication deficits cause noticeable impairment without supports; difficulty initiating social interactions; atypical responses; restricted/repetitive behaviours cause significant interference; corresponds roughly to former Asperger syndrome (no intellectual disability, often verbal).

ASD 'requiring substantial support' — marked deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication; social impairments apparent even with supports; limited initiation; restricted/repetitive behaviours frequent enough to be obvious.

ASD 'requiring very substantial support' — severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication; very limited initiation; minimal response to social overtures from others; severe interference from restricted/repetitive behaviours.

Repetition of words or phrases heard from another person or media; may be immediate (echoing what was just said) or delayed (scripting from TV or books); common in ASD; can be functional (communicative) or non-functional.

Higher-order cognitive functions mediated by the prefrontal cortex, including working memory, response inhibition, sustained attention, cognitive flexibility, and planning; consistently impaired in ADHD.

A spectrum of congenital abnormalities caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, including intellectual disability, growth restriction, and distinctive facial features; the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability worldwide.

The most common inherited (X-linked) cause of intellectual disability, caused by CGG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the FMR1 gene; presents with intellectual disability, large ears, macro-orchidism, and autistic features.

Significant delay in two or more developmental domains (gross motor, fine motor, language, social-adaptive) in a child under five years of age.

Gross Motor Function Measure — a standardised observational instrument used by physiotherapists to evaluate gross motor function and change over time in children with cerebral palsy.

ADHD subtype where ≥6 hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms are present but inattention criteria are not fully met; more visible and more often referred for assessment.

Brain injury in a neonate resulting from insufficient oxygen supply during the perinatal period, leading to neuronal death; a major cause of cerebral palsy and developmental delay.

Individualized Education Plan — a written document developed for a child with a developmental disability specifying educational goals, support services, and accommodations; mandated under the RPWD Act 2016 for children in inclusive education settings.

ADHD subtype where ≥6 inattention symptoms are present but hyperactivity-impulsivity criteria are not fully met; most commonly missed presentation, especially in girls; formerly called ADD.

Condition characterised by significantly below-average intellectual functioning (IQ <70) and concurrent deficits in adaptive behaviour, with onset before age 18 years; previously termed 'mental retardation'.

The ability to coordinate attention between an object and a social partner — demonstrated by pointing, showing, or following another person's gaze; its absence in a child under 18 months is an early red flag for autism spectrum disorder.

Brain injury from deposition of unconjugated bilirubin in the basal ganglia and other brain structures; causes athetoid cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and intellectual disability if severe neonatal jaundice is untreated.

Poisoning by inorganic lead, causing cognitive impairment, behavioural problems, anaemia, and abdominal pain; blood lead level >5 µg/dL is the current action threshold per CDC; sources in India include coloured kite thread (manja), old paint, and contaminated water.

Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up — a validated, free, two-stage parent-report screening tool for ASD in children aged 16–30 months; a positive result warrants immediate referral for diagnostic assessment.

A conscious or unconscious strategy used by some individuals with ASD — particularly girls and higher-ability individuals — to imitate neurotypical social behaviour, hide ASD traits, and appear 'normal' in social settings; associated with delayed diagnosis and high psychological burden.

A stimulant medication (dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) that is first-line pharmacotherapy for ADHD in children ≥6 years; available in immediate-release and extended-release formulations; starting dose 0.3 mg/kg.

Malin's Intelligence Scale for Indian Children — a standardised cognitive assessment tool for Indian children aged 6–15 years, used by clinical psychologists for formal IQ assessment in the CDU.

The Multimodal Treatment of ADHD study — a landmark randomised controlled trial showing that combined medication plus behavioural therapy produced superior outcomes compared to either treatment alone for core ADHD symptoms in school-age children.

Indian legislation providing legal safeguards, welfare benefits, and guardianship provisions for persons with intellectual disability, autism, cerebral palsy, and multiple disabilities.

A disruptive behaviour disorder characterised by a persistent pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behaviour, and vindictiveness; the most common comorbidity of ADHD (40–60%).

White matter injury in the periventricular regions of the preterm neonatal brain, predisposing to cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment.

Autosomal recessive inborn error of phenylalanine metabolism causing accumulation of phenylalanine and its metabolites, leading to progressive intellectual disability if untreated; detected by neonatal screening.

The provision of structured, accurate information about a disorder to patients and families; in ADHD, the essential first step in management that improves understanding, reduces stigma, and increases treatment adherence.

Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram — the Indian government programme providing free screening and management for birth defects, developmental delays, diseases, and deficiencies in children from birth to 18 years.

An atypical antipsychotic approved by the FDA (and used in India) for irritability and aggression in children with ASD aged ≥5 years; it does NOT treat core ASD symptoms; main adverse effects include weight gain, sedation, and elevated prolactin.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 — Indian legislation guaranteeing education, employment, and social protection for persons with 21 categories of disability including intellectual disability and autism.

A group of congenital infections (Toxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex, and others) acquired in utero that can cause brain malformations, hearing loss, and developmental delay.

An autosomal dominant multisystem disorder caused by mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 genes; characterised by benign tumours in multiple organs (brain cortical tubers, skin angiofibromas, renal angiomyolipomas); ASD occurs in approximately 50% of affected individuals.

A free, brief, validated multi-informant rating scale for ADHD assessment in children aged 6–12 years; includes screens for common comorbidities (ODD, conduct disorder, anxiety, depression).

A standardised norm-referenced instrument assessing adaptive behaviour (communication, daily living skills, socialisation, motor skills) in individuals from birth to adulthood; used to document adaptive deficits required for intellectual disability diagnosis.