Glossary

abnormal postural sway - greater than normal tone of muscles used to maintain the body in ordinary postures.

abstract thinking - style of thinking in which concepts and ideas are understood and later applied in problem solving.

acalculia - inability to solve simple arithmetic problems.

acute - sharp, severe, having sudden onset and short course.

acute rehabilitation program - primary emphasis is on the early phase of rehabilitation, which usually begins as soon as the patient is medically stable.

ADL’S - activities of daily living. Routine self care such as feeding, grooming, dressing, bathing and toileting activities.

agnosia - loss of the ability to recognize the meaning of a sensory stimulus. For example, visual agnosia is the inability to recognize familiar objects by sight.

agraphia - inability to express thoughts in writing. The inability to write words, numbers or letters.

anosntia - loss of smell.

aphasia - loss of the ability to verbally express oneself and/or to understand language.

behavior disorders - abnormal patterns of behavior, such as violent, destructive actions, that prevent acceptable participation in a social setting.

biofeedback - a process in which information, such as heart rate, skin temperature, or electrical activity of muscles, is recorded and then relayed back as a signal on a computer screen so that the individual becomes aware of any alteration in the activity.