Glossary

An aldosterone antagonist is a compound that blocks the action of aldosterone, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that is important for maintaining salt and water balance in the body.

The Alert Program is an intervention based around teaching to self-regulate their level of alertness so that they can respond appropriately to a variety of situations.

The allergy-free diet requires you to avoid any foodstuffs, such as peanuts, which are known to cause you allergies.

Allied Health Professionals refers to a wide group of professionals who work alongside doctors and nurses within the health care system.

Allocation concealment is the process used to ensure that the person deciding to enter a participant into a randomised controlled trial does not know the comparison group into which that individual will be allocated.

Allopathy is another term for standard health care or conventional medicine, the medicine practiced by doctors and by allied health professionals (such as nurses, occupational therapists etc) which is based on sound scientific evidence.

ALM is an acronym for aided language modelling, an intervention which consists of engaging the child in interactive play activities and providing models of use of augmentative and alternative communication symbols during play.

Alpha blockers is another name for α-adrenergic-antagonists, a type of drug called adrenergic antagonists.

Alternative communication systems are designed to replace standard means of communication.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.

Amantadine is a type of medication called an NMDA receptor antagonist.

Ambient prism lenses are used to help improve ambient vision, the visual system related to spatial organisation.

American sign language is the sign language used by the deaf community and others in many parts of North America.

Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins, the basic building blocks for life.

Amino acid therapy is the use of amino acids, usually in the form of dietary supplements, for therapeutic purposes.

Amisulpride is a type of atypical antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophernia and psychosis.

Amoxicillin is in a class of medications called penicillin-like antibiotics.

Amphotericin B is a type of antifungal medication.

The amygdala is an almond shaped mass of nuclei (mass of cells) located deep within the temporal lobe of the brain.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative condition caused by the degeneration of motor neurons.