Neurodevelopmental Disorders: ADHD, Specific Learning Disorders, and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering diagnostic criteria, presentations, neurobiological factors, and interventions for ADHD, specific learning disorders, and autism spectrum disorder.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

An umbrella of chronic disorders that originate early in development based on neurological functioning and abilities, causing individuals' brains to process and experience stimuli differently than a neurotypical brain.

Developmental Milestones

Expected age-based behavioral, motor, and cognitive markers (such as sitting up, grabbing objects, making sounds, and making eye contact) used to assess whether a child is developing as expected.

Developmental Psychology

The branch of psychological science that investigates how humans grow, learn, evolve, and develop disorders across the lifespan.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A chronic neurodevelopmental disorder marked by differences in attention regulation and activity, which can manifest as impulsivity, inattention, overactivity, or difficulties regulating emotional responses.

ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Presentation

A presentation of ADHD diagnosed when an individual meets at least six symptoms of inattention for at least six months, with fewer than six hyperactive-impulsive symptoms; more commonly diagnosed in girls and women.

ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation

A presentation of ADHD diagnosed when an individual meets at least six symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity for at least six months, with fewer than six inattentive symptoms; more commonly diagnosed in boys and men.

ADHD Combined Presentation

The most common presentation of ADHD, diagnosed when an individual exhibits at least six inattentive symptoms and at least six hyperactive-impulsive symptoms across at least two life domains.

ADHD Diagnostic Age Criterion

The DSM guideline requiring chronic symptoms to be present prior to age 12 (updated from age 6 in the DSM-IV) in at least two life domains.

Working Memory

The cognitive ability to hold information in immediate present attention and manipulate it (such as reciting numbers backward or performing mental math), which often shows deficits in individuals with ADHD.

Dopamine (in ADHD)

A reward-focused neurotransmitter processed abnormally in ADHD brains; individuals with ADHD require higher levels of it to sustain attention and feel that tasks are worth doing.

Stimulant Medications

First-line pharmacological treatments for ADHD (such as Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, Concerta, and Focalin) that increase dopamine processing to reduce impulsivity and enhance attention regulation.

Nonstimulant Medications (for ADHD)

Alternative medications (such as Strattera, Intuniv, or Kapvay) that target norepinephrine rather than dopamine, often utilized to avoid common stimulant side effects like appetite suppression and insomnia.

Specific Learning Disorder

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by chronic (at least six months) performance substantially below grade-level expectations in reading, written expression, or mathematics, despite adequate resources.

Dyslexia

A condition under specific learning disorders involving significant impairments in word reading accuracy, reading rate, reading comprehension, or spelling.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

A legally binding educational document developed by schools that specifies accommodations, resources, and instructional plans required to support a student with learning or developmental disorders.

504 Plan

An educational accommodation plan designed to remove physical or classroom barriers for students; it provides general adjustments (such as front-row seating) but is less legally binding than an IEP.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

A pervasive, lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction, alongside restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

Social-Emotional Reciprocity

The back-and-forth flow of social communication, conversation, and shared interest, which is persistently impaired in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Stereotyped Behaviors

Repetitive, ritualistic motor movements or actions (such as hand-flapping, whole-body rocking, or swaying) often used as self-soothing mechanisms by individuals on the autism spectrum.

Echolalia

A speech pattern often seen early in autism spectrum disorder where an individual repeats or echoes back phrases, questions, or the last word spoken by someone else.

ASD Level 1 ('Requiring Support')

The mildest clinical severity level of autism spectrum disorder, where individuals are verbal and can function relatively independently with minimal educational or workplace accommodations.

ASD Level 3 ('Requiring Very Substantial Support')

The most severe clinical level of autism spectrum disorder, characterized by minimal or nonverbal communication, extreme difficulty coping with changes to routine, and a frequent need for lifelong residential assistance.

Oxytocin (in ASD)

A hormone involved in social bonding and affection (often termed the cuddle hormone), which is hypothesized to be produced or processed at lower levels in individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy

A behavioral intervention historically focused on teaching social skills and shaping behaviors in individuals on the autism spectrum, increasingly shifted toward helping individuals regulate sensory experiences rather than simply suppressing self-soothing behaviors.