Physical and Health Disabilities
Low-Incidence Disabilities
Physical Disabilities
11 % of all children in the U.S. receive special education services. Of this 11%, ONLY 0.09% of these students have physical disabilities that require special services.
Types of Physical Disabilities:
-Seizure disorders
-Cerebral palsy (CP)
-Spinal cord disorders
-Muscular dystrophy
-Polio
-Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Muscular/Skeletal Conditions
-Juvenile arthritis
-Limb deficiencies
-Skeletal disorders
-Brittle bone disease
-Scoliosis
Characteristics of Physical Disabilities
- Paralysis
- Low/altered muscle tone
- Unsteady gait
- Loss/inability to use one or more limbs
- Difficulty with gross-motor skills (Ex: walking, running)
- Difficulty with fine-motor skills (Ex: writing, buttoning a shirt)
Education Interference (Physical Disabilities)
-Students with brittle bone disease may not be able to participate in physical education due to how easily their bones break.
-Students with spinal cord injuries may have difficulty with motor skills and find it difficult to navigate school hallways or classrooms.
Health Disabilities
Definition: students who have such severe health problems that they require special medical and educational services.
Types of Health Disabilities
-Asthma
-Diabetes
-Cystic fibrosis
-Congenital heart defects
-Tuberculosis (TB)
-Childhood Cancer (Leukemia/Lymphomas)
-Blood disorders (sickle cell anemia/ Hemophilia)
Infectious Diseases
-HIV
-Hepatitis B
-STORCH (Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis, Other, Rubella, and Herpes)
Characteristics of Health Disabilities:
- Fatigue
- Mobility problems
- Inattention
- Coordination difficulties
- Muscle weakness
- Reduced stamina
Education Interference (Health Disabilities)
-Students with childhood cancer may be too ill to benefit from any school instruction.
-Students with hepatitis B may miss a lot of school due to their need for bed rest.
Classroom Accomodations
- Schedule flexibility is often a big help for students with physical and health disabilities, especially if they need medication.
- Technology makes is possible for students to keep up with their peers if they are too sick to come to school. This is known as distance education.
- Teachers can adjust tables, desks, and other furniture in their classrooms to reduce barriers to the physical environment for students with physical disabilities.
- Proctor/note-taker
- Communication devices
Home Accomodations
- Push furniture out of the way and secure any loose objects (ex: rugs)
- Install ramps or elevators
- Create a schedule of when medication should be taken
- Have a PT, OT, or Speech Pathologist come to the home
- Schedule time to do homework/chores when the child is less fatigued
NDEP
Cancer Center
Proloquo2Go - AssistiveWare
This app turns text-to-speech. The program generates speech by tapping buttons with symbols/icons or typing on-screen. It features a range real children’s voices from which to choose, and can be personalized with a combination of icons and photos. Best of all, this program is easy to customize and personalize on-the-go.
References
Cancer Center. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://kidshealth.org/kid/centers/cancer_center.html
Center for Parent Information and Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/accommodations/
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/default/
GUIDE TO REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from https://disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/fac_guide.html#physical
Home | United Spinal Resource Center. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://www.spinalcord.org/
Section 504 Sample Accommodations and Modifications. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://optimalhearing.com/download/optimalhearingcom/2042-Section_504_Accomodations.pdf
Smith, D. D., & Tyler, N. C. (2014). Introduction to contemporary special education new horizons. Pearson Education.
When Your Child Is Diagnosed with Diabetes: Parents' Questions for the Health Care Team. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http://ndep.nih.gov/teens/parentsquestions.aspx