Physical Disabilities

Physical Disabilities By: Abel, Elham and Julia

What do you think when you hear “Physical Disability”?

True/False Students with special health conditions are automatic candidates for special education.

Physical Disability: • The term physical disabilities is broad and covers a range of disabilities and health issues, including both congenital and acquired disabilities. Within that range are physical disabilities or impairments that interfere with a child’s ability to attain the same developmental milestones as his or her age-mates. The number of students with physical disabilities is expected to grow as medical advances continue to reduce mortality rates for infants and children.

True/ False • Cerebral palsy is not a disease, like the chicken pox or measles, and therefore is not communicable. • The physical condition of students with cerebral palsy cannot be remediated or improved.

Cerebral Palsy: • Cerebral Palsy is condition caused by injury to the brain before, during or after birth, and is chiefly characterized by motor disorder. It is not progressive, nor is it contagious. But it is incurable, although therapy can be helpful in improving comfort and mobility

True/False: Spina Bifida Most children with spina bifida are severely retarded

Spina bifida • Spina bifida occurs in the spinal column when one or more vertebrae do not close during prenatal development

True/False: Tourette Syndrome Students with Tourette syndrome swear and “talk dirty”.

Tourette Syndrome • Tourettes is a neurological disorder that usually manifests itself in childhood, and is frequently characterized by motor and/ or vocal tics • Studies of Tourettes suggests that significant behavioral features may also be involved such as hyperactivity, obsession, and indiscriminate range • Students with Tourettes can have difficulty in getting started, problems with comprehending verbal instructions, and confusion over space time directionality

SKIT Debate: Push for IEP Find teaching strategies that will help Tamhana

True/False: Muscular Dystrophy Social barriers are significant barriers to the education of these children

Muscular Dystrophy • Muscular Dystrophy include a large group of genetically inherited diseases that can affect people at various stages of life • These diseases are characterized by skeletal muscle wasting and weakness to varying degrees

Acquired Brain Injury • Acquired brain injury (ABI) is any type of sudden injury causes temporary or permanent damage to the brain after birth • Motor vehicle accidents, near drowning, violence related incidents, and sports- related injuries are among the leading causes

Implications for Teaching Challenges faced over body image Understanding effects of medication Adjusting to the needs of the student’s exceptionality Student’s Academic Development

Body Image • www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnJQFlyDGY • It is important to be conscious that you are modelling for your students how to work with students that have physical disabilities. • Plays a role in how people perceive themselves and how others perceive them • Today’s student are growing up in a society where media plays a large role in defining the normal body.

Effects of Medication • Can have sedating side- effects • Preparations for what medication can do is important • Understanding preparing

Adjusting to Needs • Accommodating for student’s is key to creating an environment where student can be successful • Students with severe exceptionalities can end up missing out on valuable instructional time due to illness or be absences for therapy • It is also important to anticipate that some students might not be working at the same academic level as their peers

Seizure Disorders (Epilepsy) • Epilepsy is not disease but rather a symptom of a brain disorder that leads to seizures • Epilepsy itself, is not usually the reason a student is referred to an IPRC • Very often, it is primary condition, or the side effects of seizure- control medication, the lead to consideration for special education

Poem… • "We all have a disability of some kind; all are lacking in one way or another. Saul has an injury to his leg. What if his personality was deformed? How much worse if his soul was lame? Preachers or teachers look for the good in all of us. (Bless them for doing so.) I don't see a cripple. I haven't met anyone yet who isn't handicapped in some way. So what's the big deal? Don't hide your deformity. Wear it like a Purple Heart." - GeorgiannBaldino • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9kglHX4p1I

Stephen Hawking

Discussion Questions: 1) What strategies can you use to influence the students in the regular classroom to include students with physical disabilities (without giving the perception of pity or that their helpless)? 2) What are the advances of using technology to improve your own knowledge of physical disabilities, and to improve the classroom environment for the student?

Discussion continued.. 3) How can a teacher take on the role of identifying a student’s exceptionality? 4) Why is the communication between parents, teacher and other health care professional so essential to benefit any special need student?

Physical Disabilities