Disability, like so many areas of life, has a lot of associated acronyms. Here are some examples:

SEN – Special Educational Needs
DLA (being replaced by PIP) – Disability Living Allowance (and Personal Independence Payment)
AAC – Augmentative Alternative Communication
PECS – Picture Exchange Communication System
ASD – Autistic Spectrum Disorder

There are also conditions associated with Tourettes that are most commonly referred to by their acronyms, including:

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
ODD – Oppositional Defiant Disorder

I’ve described before how I’ve developed my own acronyms to describe different features of my ‘ticcing fits.’ But I wasn’t familiar with one my support worker Zoë started using last week: ‘PPD’

When I was at college this stood for Personal Professional Development, but Zoë’s version is much more exciting. For her PPD means Potential Piggy Day.

A ‘Piggy Day’ is a full calendar day without a ticcing fit. It’s called a Piggy Day because tradition dictates that I’m rewarded with a rubber dog-toy pig, elaborately decorated to my own specification.

Very much as it sounds, a PPD describes a day when it looks like I might not have a ticcing fit, and so qualify for another pig. Since its first use last week it’s quickly become part of our everyday vocabulary.

I’m looking forward to lots more PPDs, PDs, and Pigs.