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Abduction – A movement of a limb away from midline or the center of the body

Adduction – A movement of a limb toward midline or the center of the body

Ataxia – Muscular incoordination especially manifested when voluntary muscular movements are attempted

Base of support – The weight-bearing surface of the body. For example: in standing = the feet

Bilateral – Pertaining to two sides of the body, as in: both arms or both legs

Calcaneal Valgum – Angling of the heel of the foot outward, thereby flattening the arch of the foot

Calcaneal Varum – Angling of the heel of the foot inward, thereby increasing or heightening the arch of the foot

Cervical – Pertaining to the neck

Core – Pertaining to the trunk (primarily abdominals and back)

Dissociation – To separate. For example: one extremity/limb performs a movement without the other extremity doing the same or similar movement at the same time

Distal – Farthest from the center, from midline or from the trunk

Dynamic – Pertaining to vital forces or inherent power; refers to the body in motion; opposite of stationary

Extension – A straightening or backward movement of the spine or limbs

External rotation – An outward turning of the limb away from the body

Flexion – A bending or forward movement of the spine or limbs

Genu Valgum – Angling of the knees inward as in “knock kneed”

Genu Varum – Angling of the knees outward as in “bow legged”

Gross Motor – Refers to movement of large muscle groups

AbAdaptive Response: An action that is appropriate and successful in meeting some environmental demand.Adaptive responses demonstrate adequate sensory integration and drive all learning and social interactions.

Auditory: Language processing skills: the abilities of listening and verbally communicating, acquired as onhears and perceives sounds and interacts with the environment.

Auditory Perception: The ability to receive, identify, discriminate, understand and respond to sounds.

Bilateral Coordination: The ability to use both sides of the body together in a smooth, simultaneous, andcoordinated manner.

Bilateral Integration: The neurological process of integrating sensations from both body sides; the foundation for bilateral coordination.

Binocularity (Binocular Vision; Eye Teaming): Forming a single visual image from two images that the eyes separately record.

Body Awareness: The mental picture of one’s own body parts, where they are, how they interrelate, and how they move.

Cocontraction: All muscle groups surrounding a joint contracting and “working” together to provide that joint stability resulting in the ability to maintain a position.

Depth Perception: The ability to see objects in three dimensions and to judge relative distances between objects, or between oneself and objects.

Directionality: The awareness of right/left, forward/back, and up/down, and the ability to move oneself in those directions.

Discriminative System: The component of a sensory system that allows one to distinguish differences among stimuli. This system is not innate but develops with time and practice.

Dyspraxia: Deficient motor planning that is often related to a decrease in sensory processing.

Eye-Hand Coordination: The efficient teamwork of the eyes and hands, necessary for activities such as playing with toys, dressing, and writing.

Equilibrium: A term used to mean balance.

Extension: A straightening action of a joint (neck, back, arms, legs).

Fight-Or-Flight Response: The instinctive reaction to defend oneself from real or perceived danger by becoming aggressive or by withdrawing.

Figure-Ground Perception: The ability to perceive a figure in the foreground from a rival background.

Fine Motor: Referring to movement of the muscles in the fingers, toes, eyes and tongue.

Fine Motor Skills: The skilled use of one’s hands. It is the ability to move the hands and fingers in a smooth, precise and controlled manner. Fine motor control is essential for efficient handling of classroom tools and materials. It may also be referred to as dexterity.

Fixation: Aiming one’s eye at an object or shifting one’s gaze from one object to another.

Flexion: A bending action of a joint or a pulling in of a body part.

Focusing: Accommodating one’s vision smoothly between near and distant objects.

Form Constancy: Recognition of a shape regardless of its size, position, or texture.

AbAdaptive Response: An action that is appropriate and successful in meeting some environmental demand.Adaptive responses demonstrate adequate sensory integration and drive all learning and social interactions.

Auditory: Language processing skills: the abilities of listening and verbally communicating, acquired as onhears and perceives sounds and interacts with the environment.

Auditory Perception: The ability to receive, identify, discriminate, understand and respond to sounds.

Bilateral Coordination: The ability to use both sides of the body together in a smooth, simultaneous, andcoordinated manner.

Bilateral Integration: The neurological process of integrating sensations from both body sides; the foundation for bilateral coordination.

Binocularity (Binocular Vision; Eye Teaming): Forming a single visual image from two images that the eyes separately record.

Body Awareness: The mental picture of one’s own body parts, where they are, how they interrelate, and how they move.

Cocontraction: All muscle groups surrounding a joint contracting and “working” together to provide that joint stability resulting in the ability to maintain a position.

Depth Perception: The ability to see objects in three dimensions and to judge relative distances between objects, or between oneself and objects.

Directionality: The awareness of right/left, forward/back, and up/down, and the ability to move oneself in those directions.

Discriminative System: The component of a sensory system that allows one to distinguish differences among stimuli. This system is not innate but develops with time and practice.

Dyspraxia: Deficient motor planning that is often related to a decrease in sensory processing.

Eye-Hand Coordination: The efficient teamwork of the eyes and hands, necessary for activities such as playing with toys, dressing, and writing.

Equilibrium: A term used to mean balance.

Extension: A straightening action of a joint (neck, back, arms, legs).

Fight-Or-Flight Response: The instinctive reaction to defend oneself from real or perceived danger by becoming aggressive or by withdrawing.

Figure-Ground Perception: The ability to perceive a figure in the foreground from a rival background.

Fine Motor: Referring to movement of the muscles in the fingers, toes, eyes and tongue.

Fine Motor Skills: The skilled use of one’s hands. It is the ability to move the hands and fingers in a smooth, precise and controlled manner. Fine motor control is essential for efficient handling of classroom tools and materials. It may also be referred to as dexterity.

Fixation: Aiming one’s eye at an object or shifting one’s gaze from one object to another.

Flexion: A bending action of a joint or a pulling in of a body part.

Focusing: Accommodating one’s vision smoothly between near and distant objects.

Form Constancy: Recognition of a shape regardless of its size, position, or texture.