Allen Chapter 7

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Chapter 7
Physical Disabilities and Health
Problems

Physical Disabilities
• Conditions that interfere with the normal
functioning of bones, joints and muscles.

Physical Disabilities (continued)
• Cerebral palsy—neurological disorders
resulting in lack of control of muscle
movements:
– Spasticity—the muscles are spastic. They do
not contract and flex as they should.
• Hypotonicity—the muscles are floppy.
– Athetosis—fluctuating or uneven muscle tone.
– Ataxia—lack of motor coordination.
– Mixed—combination of two or more.

– Classifications based on body parts
• Diplegia—all four extremities
• Hemiplegia—one side of the body
• Paraplegia—legs only
• Quadripelgia—arms, legs, trunk, and head control

• Spinal cord injuries
– Spinal cord is injured or severed.
– Muscles below the injury do not receive
messages from the brain to function.
– Spina bifida—imperfect development of the
spinal cord in utero
• Hydrocephalus—build up of fluid on the brain.
• Incontinence—lack of control over bladder and
bowel movements.

• Muscular dystrophy—progressive
weakening of the muscles
– Duchenne’s disease—affects only boys;
weakness begins at hips and shoulders and
moves to arms and legs.
• Hip dysplasia—hip moves in and out of
socket.
– More frequently found in girls and treated with
braces.

• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis—painful
inflammation around the joints
– Children should be encouraged to move.
– It often disappears by age 18.

Program Implications
• Team efforts
– Physical therapists
– Occupational therapists
– If there are language or hearing problems,
Speech Language Pathologists and
audiologists may be on the team
– Parents and teachers
– Psychologist if there are behavior problems

• Adaptive equipment
– Mobility devices—braces, walkers,
wheelchairs
– Positioning devices—wedge mats, bolsters,
prone boards

• Adapting materials
– Universal design for learning
• Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach to
education does not work.
• Understanding the need to design curricula to
meet the needs of all classroom learners.
• Believing that all children who attend early
education programs will be successful in their
development and learning.

– Manipulative materials
• Wall displays
• Velcro on blocks
• Pegs on puzzle pieces
– Creative materials
• Use large pencils, paintbrushes
• Push pencils through a ball for an easier grip
• Tape paper to easel or table to prevent sliding

– Self-help devices
• Use Velcro instead of buttons.
• Make utensils easier to grip for feeding.
• Use suction cups for soap.

• Adaptations in the classroom
– Wheelchair accommodation
• Widen aisles
• Put materials up on shelves, not on the bottom
• Bathroom accessibility
– Railings
• Indoors and out, place railings to help children with
balance

– Floor coverings
• Carpeting is best, if well stretched and securely
nailed down.
• If no carpeting, provide nonskid crutches and
shoes.
– Eye-level materials
• Place objects at the children’s eye level for
independence.
– Transitions
• Appropriate amount of time for transitioning.

Health Problems
• Some children are chronically ill and live
every day with serious health problems.
• Many developmental disabilities involve
significant health risks and problems.

Health Problems (continued)
• Asthma
– This is the most common and the most
serious.
– During an attack, a child cannot get a full
breath of air.
– Lips and nails may turn blue.
– If a child cannot get relief from medication,
emergency help needs to be called.

• Cystic fibrosis
– Children have excessive mucus, chronic
cough, progressive lung damage, and inability
to absorb fats and proteins.
– They also tend to have frequent, foul smelling
bowel movements and unusually salty
perspiration.

• Hemophilia
– This is usually only found only found in males.
– The blood does not clot normally, causing
serious internal bleeding.
– Encourage children to be as active as
possible without taking too many risks.

• Leukemia
– This is the most common type of childhood
cancer.
– Chemotherapy is the most common
treatment.

• Sickle-cell anemia
– Autosomal recessive disorder.
– Red blood cells are sickle in shape instead of
round, making it difficult for them to pass
through the bloodstream.
– Overall fatigue is one of the chronic problems.
– It is found only in African-American children.

• Heart problems
– Children with heart problems should be
encouraged to move but should not
participate in anything too physically
demanding.
– Monitor their skin color for a blue tone.
– Let the children tell you when they are too
tired to continue.

• Diabetes
– The body does not produce or properly use
insulin.
– Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert
sugar, starches, and other food into energy
needed for daily life.
– There are two types of diabetes—type 1 and
type 2.

– Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune
disorder.
• The body does not make enough beta cells to fight
off infections.
– Type 2 diabetes is the more common.

– Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are the
result
• Hypoglycemia is excessively low levels of sugar in
the blood.
• Hyperglycemia is too much sugar in the blood.
• When in doubt, give a form of sugar.
– Regulate food intake.
– Monitor activity levels.
– Watch for changes in behavior.

• Seizure disorders
– Epilepsy is a form of seizure disorder.
– Types of seizures:
• Febrile seizures, brought on by a fast rising fever
• Generalized tonic-clonic seizures (grand-mal)
– Violent shaking and jerking
• Absence seizures (petit mal)
– Momentary loss of consciousness
– Often accused of daydreaming

• Partial psychomotor seizures
– Often appear like a tantrum
– Child unaware of behavior
– Become stereotypic for that child
– Medication is often prescribed.
– Be aware of what to do during a seizure:
• Remain calm.
• Cushion child’s head.
• Remove sharp objects.
• Do not put anything in the child’s mouth.

• AIDS
– Caused by HIV.
– Attacks the healthy immune system, leaving a
person vulnerable to illness.
– Contracted through sexual contact, blood-to-
blood contact, and infected mother to baby.

• Obesity
– Not necessarily a disability, it can lead to poor
self-esteem and other health risks.
– Child’s caloric intake exceeds caloric loss
through exercise.
– Increase child’s movement and limit the intake
of empty calories through unhealthy foods
and drinks.

• Undernourishment
– Children consume too few calories, causing
low weight.
– It can result from poor chewing and
swallowing.
– Increase easy-to-swallow foods and consult
nutritionist for high-calorie, healthy food
choices.

• Schools play a critical role
– New dietary standards for school food
programs.
– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
offer guidelines for schools to promote healthy
eating and physical activity.

Health Problems and Classroom
Practices
• Teachers should be informed of all health
issues related to the child that may impact
educational performance.
• Become educated on the illness,
prevention, and care.

Practices (continued)
• Health records
– These should be kept on all children and
should include:
• Emergency telephone numbers
• Names of doctors/dentists
• Medications
• Allergies
• Immunizations

• Administering medications
– This varies from state to state, but most
require the following:
• Parent permission
• Child’s name on the bottle with the dosage
• Medication log to be on file
• Locked area to keep medication

• Emergency considerations
– Confer with parents and doctors to plan for a
health crisis.
– Understand the cause of a crisis and
frequency with which it is likely to occur.
– Learn how a child may behave before and
after a crisis.
– Know what to do during and after the crisis
and understand when to call for additional
help.

• Confidentiality
– Staff should be trained in requirements and
understand importance of working with
families.

Allen Chapter 7

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