Glossary
Plain-language definitions of autism terms — written by Soira, calm and neurodiversity-affirming.
Autism
A lifelong way of experiencing the world — autistic people typically communicate, learn, and process sensory information differently from non-autistic people. Autism is a spectrum, which means no two autistic people are the same. It is not an illness and not something that needs curing.
Caregiver burnout
The exhaustion that builds up from the constant emotional, physical, and mental load of caregiving — especially without support. Burnout is not a failure; it is a sign the system around the caregiver needs more padding. Rest, peer support, and asking for help are protective.
Early intervention
Therapies and supports started in the early years (typically before age three) — speech, occupational, play-based work. The evidence is that supportive, neurodiversity-affirming early intervention can make a meaningful difference; the right form depends on the child.
IEP (Individualised Education Plan)
A written plan agreed between a school and a family that sets out the supports, goals, and accommodations for a child who needs them. Names differ by country (in Malaysia, similar plans exist in some inclusive-education settings).
M-CHAT
The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers — a short screening questionnaire many paediatricians use at 18 and 24 month visits. It is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. A high-concern score means "worth a deeper look," not "your child is autistic."
Nonverbal
Describes an autistic person who does not communicate primarily through spoken words. "Nonverbal" does not mean "without language" — many nonverbal autistic people communicate through gestures, writing, sign, picture systems, or AAC devices.
Stimming
Self-stimulating behaviour — flapping, rocking, spinning, humming, repeating sounds. Stimming helps autistic people regulate their bodies and emotions. Unless a particular stim hurts the person or others, it does not need to be stopped.
Virtual autism
A term used by some researchers to describe autism-like signs in very young children that they link to prolonged early screen exposure. It is not a formal diagnosis, the research is still developing, and screens are not the only factor in any individual child. Soira treats it as one piece of a wider conversation about screens, language, and the early years.
AAC (augmentative and alternative communication)
Any communication method other than speech. AAC ranges from low-tech (picture cards, sign) to high-tech (speech-generating apps and devices). For nonverbal or minimally-speaking autistic people, AAC is a primary way to express needs and ideas — not a replacement that delays speech.
Accommodation
A change to how a child accesses the same learning — extra time on tests, a quiet space for breaks, instructions in writing as well as out loud. Accommodations are about equity (giving each child what they need), not advantage.
Autism spectrum
The phrase reflects the wide range of strengths, needs, and traits among autistic people. A "spectrum" does not mean a line from "mild" to "severe" — it means autism shows up differently in different people, and each person's profile can shift over time and across situations.
Joint attention
When you and your child share focus on the same thing — looking together at a bird, pointing at a passing dog, glancing back at you after seeing something funny. It is one of the earliest social skills and a key thing developmental clinicians look at.
Meltdown
An involuntary response to overwhelm — crying, shouting, kicking, becoming very still. A meltdown is not a tantrum; the autistic person is not choosing it and cannot reason their way out of it. The kindest response is to reduce the input (lower sound, dim light, give space) and stay near without demanding.
Occupational therapy
Therapy focused on the everyday "occupations" of being a child — playing, dressing, eating, regulating. For autistic children, occupational therapy often centres on sensory regulation, fine-motor skills, and life skills.
Screen time
The time a child spends in front of a screen — TVs, phones, tablets, computers. The WHO recommends zero screen time under age one and no more than an hour of supervised, high-quality content per day for children aged two to four. Active, co-viewed time is generally considered less concerning than passive scrolling.
Sibling support
The brothers and sisters of autistic children often quietly absorb a lot. Simple, named time with each sibling, age-appropriate explanations, and the message "your feelings are okay too" go a long way. Peer groups for siblings exist in some communities.
Echolalia
Repeating words or phrases heard from others, immediately or later. Echolalia is often a step in language learning, not a problem to fix. Many autistic people use echoed phrases meaningfully — quoting a line from a show, for example, to communicate a feeling.
Inclusion
Educating disabled and non-disabled children together with the supports each needs. Inclusion is a stance, not a single setting — done well it benefits both the autistic child and their classmates.
Name response
Whether a child reliably turns or looks when called by name. Inconsistent name response by around the first birthday is one of the things clinicians ask about during screening — though hearing, attention, and what the child is doing all matter too.
Neurodiversity
The idea that human brains vary in how they work — including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others — and that variation is a normal part of being human, not a defect. The neurodiversity movement emphasises acceptance and accommodation rather than fixing or curing.
Parent coaching
A therapy model where the clinician works mainly with the parent — teaching strategies, watching short interactions, and giving feedback — rather than directly with the child. Parent coaching can be a powerful, sustainable form of early support, especially when therapy hours with a child are limited.
Passive screen exposure
Watching a screen on your own without interaction or back-and-forth conversation. The concern is that passive watching displaces the kind of serve-and-return play that helps a young brain build language and connection. Co-viewing — where an adult talks with the child about what they are seeing — looks very different.
Shutdown
A quieter, inward response to overwhelm — withdrawing, going still, losing words. Shutdowns can look like a child "behaving" but they are the same overload as a meltdown, expressed differently. Same response: reduce input, offer calm presence.
Speech-language therapy
Therapy with a qualified speech-language pathologist focused on communication — spoken, gestural, AAC, social. For autistic children, the goal is usually expanding ways of communicating, not just producing speech.
504 plan
A US accommodation plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for students who need supports but not specialised instruction. A 504 plan is lighter-touch than an IEP — fewer goals, more about access (extra time, a quiet space, breaks). Names and rules differ by country.
ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis)
A behavioural-science approach used by some autism providers. ABA is genuinely debated: clinicians point to outcome studies for early communication and skills; many autistic adults describe distress from compliance-focused or older ABA. Modern, neurodiversity-affirming ABA exists but varies provider to provider. Soira does not endorse or reject ABA — ask providers about their approach and listen to autistic adults.
Identity-first language
Saying "autistic person" instead of "person with autism." Many autistic adults prefer it because autism is not a thing they carry separately — it is part of who they are. Some families prefer person-first ("person with autism"); both are acceptable, and you can ask what someone prefers.
Peer support
Connection with other parents who have walked similar paths. Peer support can be a local group, an online community, or a one-to-one mentor. The point is shared understanding without having to explain — peer support reduces isolation and often surfaces practical tips that professionals do not have.
Scripting
Repeating familiar phrases — from books, movies, conversations — to communicate, self-regulate, or rehearse. Scripting can be soothing and is often a route into spontaneous speech for autistic children.
Sensory overload
When the senses receive more input than the nervous system can comfortably process — too much sound, too many people, harsh lights. Sensory overload is a common trigger for meltdowns and shutdowns. Quiet, dim, predictable environments help.
Social referencing
Checking a caregiver's face for cues about how to feel — for example, looking at you after bumping into something, before deciding whether to cry. It typically appears in the first year and is a building block for empathy and joint attention.
WHO screen-time guideline
The World Health Organization's 2019 guidance for children under five recommends no screen time for under-ones, no more than one hour per day for two- to four-year-olds, and prioritising physical activity and sleep. The numbers are guidance — context (what content, with whom, instead of what) matters as much as duration.
AAP screen-time guideline
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests avoiding screens for children under 18–24 months except for video chats, limiting media to short, supervised, high-quality content for ages 2–5, and building a family media plan that fits each household. Similar in spirit to the WHO guidance, with more flexibility on co-viewing.
DSM-5
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Many clinicians use the DSM-5 criteria to diagnose autism — it is the version that consolidated earlier categories (including Asperger's) into a single "autism spectrum disorder" diagnosis with levels of support.
EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan)
A legal document in England for children and young people up to age 25 who need more support than a school can provide on its own. The EHCP sets out the child's needs, the agreed support, and outcomes. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have similar but different documents.
ESDM (Early Start Denver Model)
A play-based, naturalistic developmental intervention for autistic toddlers, delivered by therapists and parents in everyday activities. ESDM has a growing research base for supporting communication and social development in young children, particularly under three.
Grandparents and autism
Grandparents often bring decades of warmth and worry. Some grandparents take a while to come around to the diagnosis; some are the first to spot signs. Sharing what you have learned in small, concrete pieces, and giving them ways to help, usually lands better than a big sit-down.
Pragmatic language
The social side of language — taking turns in conversation, reading body language, knowing when to start and stop speaking. Many autistic people find pragmatic language harder than vocabulary or grammar, and it is often a focus in speech-language therapy.
Regression
When a young child loses skills they previously had — words they used to say, gestures they used to make. Regression in the early years is one of the things developmental clinicians take seriously and is worth raising with your paediatrician.
Sensory diet
A planned set of sensory activities sprinkled through the day to help a child stay regulated — a heavy blanket, a chew toy, a wobble cushion, a swing. The right "diet" is individual; an occupational therapist often helps design one.
ASD (autism spectrum disorder)
The clinical term used in the DSM-5 and many medical contexts. Most autistic adults and autistic-led organisations prefer simply "autistic" — "disorder" can imply something is wrong, when many autistic people experience their autism as a difference, not a deficit.
Co-viewing
Watching media together with your child and talking about what you are seeing. Co-viewing turns passive watching into a shared activity — the adult points things out, asks questions, names emotions — and is generally considered far less concerning than solo screen time.
Diagnostic evaluation
A formal, multi-part assessment by qualified clinicians — usually a paediatrician, psychologist, and speech-language pathologist — that confirms (or rules out) an autism diagnosis. A diagnostic evaluation is more in-depth than a screening tool like the M-CHAT.
Floortime (DIR/Floortime)
A play-based approach developed by Stanley Greenspan that meets a child at their developmental level, follows the child's lead, and gradually builds back-and-forth interaction. Floortime emphasises relationships and emotion over compliance.
Gestalt language processing
A style of language acquisition where the child first learns whole phrases (often from media, songs, or repeated adult speech) and only later breaks them down into individual words. Many autistic children are gestalt language processors. Recognising this style can change how speech-language therapy is structured.
Masking
Hiding autistic traits to fit in — forcing eye contact, suppressing stims, copying neurotypical social scripts. Masking takes a lot of energy and is linked to anxiety and burnout, especially in girls and women. A safe space to unmask is protective.
Neurodiversity-affirming care
A stance among many therapists, educators, and clinicians: the goal of support is not to make an autistic child appear less autistic, but to help them thrive as themselves. Neurodiversity-affirming care prioritises self-advocacy, sensory comfort, and respect for autistic communication styles.
Shadow aide
A one-to-one support person who works alongside an autistic child in a mainstream classroom — common in parts of Southeast Asia. Done well, a shadow aide fades out support as the child gains skills; done poorly, the aide becomes a barrier between the child and peers. The match matters.
ADOS
The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule — a structured, play-based assessment used by trained clinicians as one part of an autism evaluation. The clinician offers prompts and watches how the child responds. ADOS is widely used but is one tool among several; results are interpreted alongside parent interviews and developmental history.
Asperger syndrome
A former diagnostic label for autistic people without significant early speech delay. It is no longer a separate diagnosis in the DSM-5 — those people are now diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Some adults still use "Asperger's" to describe themselves; many have moved away from it given the name's historical baggage.
Background TV
A television playing in the room while a child is doing something else. Even when nobody is watching directly, background TV reduces the amount of language young children hear from adults and the quality of parent-child interaction. Turning it off when it is not actively being watched is a small, high-impact change.
Executive function
The mental processes that help us plan, start, switch between, and finish tasks. Many autistic people have spiky executive-function profiles — strong in some areas, support-needing in others. Visual schedules and predictable routines often help.
Expressive language
The language a child produces — words, signs, AAC selections, gestures. Expressive language is what most people notice first ("she doesn't talk yet"). It is one half of communication; receptive language is the other.
NDBI (Naturalistic Developmental Behavioural Interventions)
A family of approaches — including ESDM, JASPER, and Pivotal Response Treatment — that blend developmental and behavioural principles in everyday play settings. NDBIs typically involve parents directly and are designed to build communication, attention, and social skills in young autistic children.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
An approach to teaching that builds in flexibility from the start — multiple ways to take in information, multiple ways to show what you know. UDL benefits autistic and non-autistic students alike; it is the opposite of accommodating one student at a time.
Autoplay
The feature on streaming services that automatically queues the next video. Autoplay turns a short, intentional viewing session into a long passive one, especially for young children who cannot self-regulate stopping. Most platforms let you turn it off in account settings — a small change with outsized effect.
Developmental paediatrician
A medical doctor with additional training in child development. Developmental paediatricians often lead autism assessments, coordinate referrals to therapy, and follow children over the years. In some countries the role is called a developmental medical officer or a community paediatrician.
Person-first language
Saying "person with autism" rather than "autistic person." Some families and professionals prefer it because it places the person before the diagnosis. Many autistic adults prefer identity-first language ("autistic person"). Both are acceptable — when in doubt, ask the person.
Proprioception
The sense of where your body is in space — knowing your hand is behind your back without looking. Proprioception comes from the muscles and joints. Many autistic people seek extra proprioceptive input (squeezes, jumping, heavy work) because it helps them feel grounded.
Receptive language
The language a child understands — words and phrases they can take in, even if they do not say them. Many children, including many autistic children, understand more than they say. Assuming receptive language is strong is part of presuming competence.
Visual schedule
A picture- or icon-based representation of what is happening next — first this, then this, then this. Visual schedules help many autistic children manage transitions, reduce uncertainty, and feel more in control of their day. They are simple to make and often used at home and at school.
"High-functioning" / "low-functioning"
Outdated labels Soira does not use. They paper over which specific things a person finds easy or hard, often underestimate support needs of seemingly "high-functioning" people, and dismiss the strengths of "low-functioning" ones. Better to describe specifics — communication style, sensory needs, daily-living support.
Interoception
The sense of what is happening inside your body — hunger, thirst, needing the toilet, the start of an emotion. Interoception is often different in autistic people, which is why a child can suddenly seem desperate to eat or use the bathroom — they noticed the signal late, not because they were ignoring it.
Media displacement hypothesis
The idea that the main concern with early screen time is not the screen itself but what it replaces — back-and-forth conversation, play, sleep, time outside. Two hours of high-quality content alongside a rich day looks different from two hours that crowd out everything else.
Respite care
Planned short breaks where someone else cares for your child so you can rest. Respite can be a few hours at home, an afternoon at a respite centre, or an overnight stay with trained carers. It is not a failure to use respite — it is part of sustainable caregiving.
Social stories
Short, simple, illustrated stories that walk a child through what to expect in a particular situation — a haircut, the first day of school, a flight. Developed by Carol Gray, social stories often help autistic children prepare for new or stressful events.
Waitlist period
The time between a referral and the first formal assessment. Waitlists for public-system autism assessments are often long — months or longer. The wait can feel passive, but it is a good window to begin tracking what you notice, exploring early support, and connecting with other families.
Allistic
A non-autistic person. The word is useful in conversations about autism because "non-autistic" can feel like defining people by what they lack. Allistic does not imply anything about other forms of neurodivergence — an allistic person can still be ADHD, dyslexic, and so on.
PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)
A low-tech AAC system in which the child hands a picture card to someone to communicate what they want. PECS is one of several AAC approaches; it works for some children and not others. Speech-language pathologists help families pick what fits.
Screener vs diagnostic tool
A screener (such as the M-CHAT) is a short questionnaire that flags whether a child might benefit from a deeper look — yes/no, quick to use. A diagnostic tool (such as the ADOS) is a longer assessment used by a trained clinician to make a formal diagnosis. Screening is the start of the conversation, not the end.
Self-regulation
The ability to manage your own state — energy, attention, emotions. Self-regulation develops over many years, in autistic and non-autistic children alike. Stimming, deep pressure, breaks, and predictable routines are some of the ways autistic people self-regulate.
Serve and return
The everyday back-and-forth between an adult and a young child — a coo, a look, a smile, a question, a pointing finger. Researchers at Harvard's Center on the Developing Child describe serve-and-return as one of the most important things adults can offer a young brain. Screens at their worst displace it; at their best, adults co-view and keep it going.
Co-regulation
When an adult lends their calm to help a child regulate — staying close, breathing slowly, lowering their voice. Co-regulation is how children learn self-regulation over time; it is not babying them. It is especially important during and after meltdowns and shutdowns.
Media mentoring
A way of framing the parent's role with screens — not gatekeeper but guide. You choose the content together, talk about it, and model healthy screen habits yourself. Media mentoring assumes screens will be part of the child's life and focuses on how to use them well.
Early language environment
The pool of words and conversational turns a child is exposed to in the first years of life. Rich, responsive language environments support language development; quiet ones (or ones dominated by background noise from screens) do less. The mix of vocabulary, conversational turns, and reading aloud all matter.
Monotropism
A theory developed by autistic researchers describing how autistic attention tends to flow deeply into one thing at a time, rather than spreading across many things. Monotropism helps explain deep focus, transition difficulty, and how interruptions can feel jarring or painful for autistic people.
Developmental window
A period when the brain is especially sensitive to certain kinds of input — language, social interaction, vision. Developmental windows are not strict deadlines; brains keep changing. But the first three years are particularly important for language and social development, which is why early-years routines matter.