The following abbreviations are commonly used on this website:
24/7 = 24 hours per day/7 days per week
AAT = Animal-Assisted Therapy
ABA = Applied Behavior Analysis
A&E = Accident and Emergency
ADA = Americans with Disabilities Act
ADD = Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD = Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADOS = Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
aka = Also Known As
AQ = Autism-Spectrum Quotient
AS = Asperger Syndrome
ASAP = As Soon As Possible
ASC = Autism Spectrum Condition
ASD = Autism Spectrum Disorder
ASPD = AntiSocial Personality Disorder
Aspie = a person with Asperger Syndrome
ASVAB = Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
BAP = Broad Autism Phenotype
BAPQ = Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire
BD = Bipolar Disorder
BP = Blood Pressure
BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder
btw = By The Way
b/w = black and white
CBT = Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CD = Conduct Disorder
CMHT = Community Mental Health Team
COTA = Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
CPS = Child Protective Services
cuz = because
D&D = Dungeons and Dragons
DBT = Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DD = Dear Daughter
DH = Dear Husband
DID = Dissociative Identity Disorder
doc = doctor
DS = Dear Son
DSM = Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
DTT = Discrete Trial Therapy (Lovaas Training)
DW = Dear Wife
DX = Diagnosed
ECT = ElectroConvulsive Therapy (formally called ElectroShock Therapy)
EI = early intervention
EIQ = Emotional Intelligence Quotient
EQ = Empathy Quotient
EMB = Extreme Male Brain theory
ER = Emergency Room
fMRI = functional MRI
FTE = Full Time Equivalent
fwb = friends with benefits
fwiw = for what it’s worth
fyi = for your information
GAD = Generalized Anxiety Disorder
GI – GastroIntestinal
HFA – High Functioning Autism
HS = High School
HSP = Highly Sensitive Person
ICD = International Classification of Diseases
idk = I Don’t Know
IED = Intermittent Explosive Disorder
IEP = Individualized Education Program
IKWYM = I Know What You Mean
imho = In My Humble Opinion
imo = In My Opinion
IQ = Intelligence Quotient
irl = In Real Life
kiddos = children
LD = Learning Disabled
LFA = Low Functioning Autism
LMAO = Laughing My Ass Off
lol = Laughing Out Loud
lt = Long Term
ltr = Long Term Relationship
MBTI = Myers Briggs Type Indicator
MD = Medical Doctor
MDD = Manic Depressive Disorder
meds = Medicine
mods = forum Moderators
MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MS = Multiple Sclerosis
mum = mother, be silent
ND = NeuroDiverse, NeuroDivergent (an individual with a different normal brain such as Autistic or ASD brain)
NEET = Not in Education, Employment, or Training
NOS = Not Otherwise Specified
NPC = non-player character
NT = NeuroTypical (an individual with a normal brain)
NVLD (or NLD) = Non Verbal Learning Disorder
OCD = Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCPD = Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
OD = OverDosed
ODD = Oppositional Defiance Disorder
OMG = Oh My God
OP = Original Poster
OT = Occupational Therapy
otoh = On The Other Hand
PANDAS = Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections
PC = Personal Computer, Politically Correct
PCP = Primary Care Physician
PDD-NOS = Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified
PITA = Pain in the Ass
pls = Please
PM = Private Message
PMDD = Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
PMS = PreMenstrual Syndrome
POA = Power of Attorney
pos = piece of s**t
ppl = people
PS = PostScript, Playstation
Psych = Psychiatrist or Psychologist
PT = Physical Therapy
PTA = Parent Teacher Association
PTSD = Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
RAD – Reactive Attachment Disorder
RBT = Registered Behavior Technician
RPG = Role Playing Game
rTMS = repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
SAD = Social Anxiety Disorder
SCD = Social Communication Disorder
sci-fi = science fiction
SE = Somatic Experiencing
shrink = a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychotherapist
SJW = Social Justice Warrior
SO = Significant Other
SPD = Sensory Processing Disorder
SPS = Sensory-Processing Sensitivity
SQ = Systemizing Quotient
SSDI = Social Security Disability Insurance
SSI = Supplemental Security Income (Social Security)
ST = Speech Therapy
STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Stim/Stimming = self-stimulatory behavior
Tbh = To Be Honest
ToM = Theory of Mind
TS = Tourette Syndrome
TV = Television
VR = Vocational Rehabilitation
WP = Wrong Planet
x = times
XD = Representation of a face laughing hard: the X represents a pair of eyes squeezed shut and the D represents a gaping smile.
XDD = Laughing Especially Hard
yo = years old
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary (means that you understand people may have a different opinion or experience to yours)