Autism Glossary

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T

Tactile: Relating to touch.

Tactile Defensiveness: Oversensitivity or aversion to touch.

Tardive Dyskinesia: A condition characterized by involuntary jerky movements of the mouth, tongue, lips, and trunk. Some medications prescribed for behavior control may contribute to the development of this condition.

Target Skill: An isolated task selected by a teacher or student for accomplishment.

TEACCH: See Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children

Theory of Mind (TOM): A human characteristic that acknowledges that each person has a mind and one individual may not be aware of the other person's thoughts.  Communication bridges that gap.

Therapist: A professional who works with people with disabilities to help them overcome the effects of developmental delays.

Therapy animal: An animal that is used to calm people who are either ill or disabled.  The animal's job is to deliver unconditional love.

Thimerisol: A mercury-based substance formerly used to preserve some vaccines such as the MMR.

Tic(s): Involuntary; purposeless movements or sounds that occur, for example, in Tourette syndrome. Tics are usually distressing to a child who has them, in contrast to stereotypic behavior, which children with autism find pleasurable or neutral.

A brief, repetitive, purposeless, nonrhythmic, involuntary movement or sound.  Tics that produce movement are called "motor tics," while tics that produce sound are called "vocal tics" or "phonic tics."  Tics tend to occur in bursts or "bouts."

Tolerance: A diminished ability to benefit from some drug due to repeated or prolonged administration.

Tonic-Clonic Seizure: A type of seizure with two phases: a tonic phase, in which the body stiffens and the child loses consciousness; and a clonic phase, in which the muscles alternatingly jerk and relax.

Tourette Syndrome: A disability characterized by vocal and movement tics that change in severity and nature over time.

Also known as Tourette's syndrome or Tourette's disorder, this is a fairly common childhood-onset condition that may be associated with features of many other conditions.  This syndrome is characterized by "tics."

Transition: The period between the end of one activity and the start of another.  Also transition may refer to the changes from one environment to another, such as from an early childhood program to school.

Transition Plan: A plan that details services and accommodations provided to children with disabilities when moving from early intervention services to preschool, and from school to the work setting at age twenty-one.  Required under IDEA.

Transitional Object: An object such as a blanket or stuffed animal that a young child habitually uses to comfort himself.

Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH): A method of teaching children with communication deficits that encourages communication with picture boards or other assistive devices.

Triennial Evaluation and Triennial Review: Under IDEA, a review of the IEP that takes place every three years that includes re-evaluation for continued eligibility.

Trigger: An event that precipitates a certain behavior.

Tuberous Sclerosis: A congenital disorder in which benign tumors develop in the skin, organs, and brain, and which sometimes includes seizures, autism, and/or mental retardation.