Do you ever feel confused about all the acronyms being used for the service providers working with your child?
Do you feel like you should know what the teachers and staff are talking about but it is all moving so quickly? Do you wish that they would slow down and explain the words they are using when talking about your child?
We know how frustrating and confusing this can be! And it is not your fault. The people working in schools have years of training and experience in these areas and should not expect that all parents and caregivers know what they are talking about. And there are SO MANY terms to remember!
We want to help you unpack these terms and acronyms to give you the tools you need to understand who the people are working with your child and how they can help your child. Let’s start with related service providers and all the acronyms you may have seen used for them!
SLP: Speech Language Pathologist. This person helps children work on their communication skills. This could be anything from working on communication and speech impairments (like issues with articulation), developing vocabulary, or working on receptive (the language the child is taking in and understanding) and expressive language (the language the child is putting out) skills.
AAC Specialist: Augmentative or Alternative Communication Specialist. This person works on ALL forms of communication outside of oral speech production. They can help implement your child’s communication plan which could include but is not limited to facial expressions, sign language, or a high tech communication device.
AT Specialist: Assistive Technology Specialist. This person is different than AAC. They focus less on communication and more on accessing the curriculum and school environment. Examples include helping a student utilize Speech to Text features in order to independently access content in their classroom.
OT: Occupational Therapist. This person can work on all kinds of things with children! An OT may work with your child on daily living skills (dressing, teeth brushing, etc.), fine motor skills (handwriting, using scissors, etc.) or sensory regulation.
PT: Physical Therapist. This person can work with your child on gross motor skills. This could include but is not limited to increasing stamina, balance, or overall mobility.
BCBA: Board Certified Behavior Analyst. This person’s role is to consult to your child’s team about behavior. Their role includes giving behavior assessments (like a Functional Behavior Assessment), analyzing behavior data, or implementing a Positive Behavior Support Plan.
