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Other HealthOther Health
Impairment (OHI)Impairment (OHI)
Lolita SiguenzaLolita Siguenza
Eleanor QuichochoEleanor Quichocho
ED443G Adaptive Assistive TechnologyED443G Adaptive Assistive Technology
Dr. Jacqui CyrusDr. Jacqui Cyrus
November 20, 2008November 20, 2008

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IDEA DefinitionIDEA Definition
Other health impairment means having limited strength,
vitality or alertness, including a heightened alertness to
environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with
respect to the educational environment, that:
(i) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma,
attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia,
lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, and
sickle cell anemia; and
(ii) adversely affects a child's educational performance [34
C.F.R. 300.7(c)(9)]

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ObjectivesObjectives
At the end of this presentation,
you should be able to:
 Describe characteristics of other health
impairments.
 Understand causes of other health
impairments.
 Lists accommodations and strategies to
implement in the classroom

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These students are unable to function
physically and/or academically with
peers of the same age and grade
expectancy level. They require the
provision of specialized instructional
services and modification in order to
participate in the school program.

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CharacteristicsCharacteristics
 Miss school frequently
 physical restrictions
 Inattentiveness
 Other medication side effects

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CommonCommon Other HealthOther Health
ImpairmentImpairment
1. Asthma
2. ADD
3. ADHD
4. Diabetes
These health conditions impair a student’s
ability to perform successfully in their
education UNLESS MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE.

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ASTHMAASTHMA
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of
the airway“ that causes the following symptoms;
 Shortness of breath, coughing
 Tightness in the chest and wheezing
Teachers can help by
8. Managing asthma episodes
9. Follow a student’s action plan

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AsthmaAsthma continuationcontinuation
Asthma has no set pattern. Its
symptoms:
 Mild, moderate or severe
 Vary from person to person
 Flare up from time to time
 Vary from one episode to the next
Cause of asthma is not known, and currently there is no cure

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Attention DeficitAttention Deficit
Hyperactive DisorderHyperactive Disorder
ADHD: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is
• person to sit still,
• control behavior
• pay attention.

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DiabetesDiabetes
 Diabetes happens when someone's body does not
have enough insulin.
 Insulin converts sugar, starches or other food
into energy.
 Diabetes (sixth deadliest disease)sixth deadliest disease) in the U.S.
Teachers can help by:
12.Monitor symptoms hyper- or hypoglycemia
13.Knowing first aid processes
Did you know... if a child is
diagnosed with type 1
diabetes at the age of 5, by
the time they are 18, they will
have endured at least18,980
finger pokes?

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Less common HealthLess common Health
ImpairmentsImpairments
1. Epilepsy
2. Heart Conditions
3. Hemophilia
4. Cancer
5. HIV
“These health conditions impair a student’s
ability to perform successfully in their
education UNLESS MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE.”

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Epilepsy?Epilepsy?
Seizures is caused
• electrical discharge from the brain.
• Single seizures do not recur or require treatment.
• provoked by acute events (brain tumor, etc)
Teachers can help by:
8. Identifying/eliminating environmental factors that trigger
seizures
9. Provide classmates with factual information on seizures

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Absence SeizureAbsence Seizure
(Petit Mal Seizure)(Petit Mal Seizure)
causes a brief clouding or loss of consciousness.
 occur in young children - daydreaming.
 stares blankly, eyes blink, roll backwards
 recover quickly
 occur many times a day and
 brought on by hyperventilation
 The child doesn’t know that he just had a seizure.

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Generalized tonic-clonicGeneralized tonic-clonic
seizuresseizures (Grand Mal)(Grand Mal)
Before a seizure begins, aura.
 unconscious
 Eyes rolled back, body goes stiff
 breathe irregularly
 Drool and lose bladder control
 usually lasts 10 to 30 seconds
During the clonic phase:
 jerking of the muscles
 usually sleepy or disoriented and headache

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Heart ConditionsHeart Conditions
Congenital present at birth
Acquired - developed over time
Develop during childhood and are
temporary
Many heart conditions are chronic
Others are acute — they happen
suddenly, with severity, and end
quickly.

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HemophiliaHemophilia
Hemophilia is caused
• Coagulation or clotting of the blood
• Bruising and bleeding
• Bleed for hours/days after
minor cut or surgery

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CancerCancer
Cancer Cells:
 grow out of control,
 abnormal sizes and shapes,
 ignore typical boundaries inside the body,
 destroy neighbor cells
 ultimately spread (or metastasize) to other
organs and tissues.
• body's nutrition. Cancer
• takes a child's strength
Teachers can help by:
12.Including students in activities with their peers as much as possible
13.Creating a secure environment where the child can succeed, but does not
feel as if he/she is being treated differently

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LeukemiaLeukemia
• large numbers of abnormal white blood cells
are produced in the bone marrow.
• abnormal white cells crowd the bone marrow
and flood the bloodstream
• can’t perform their proper role of protecting
the body against disease because they are
defective.

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Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• damages immune system and attacks the brain
• resulting in developmental delay and increased
susceptibility to infection
• Transmitted once entered into the bloodstream
• Passed through fetus by mother
• HIV causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
Teachers face three issues:
10.Confidentiality
11.Preventing transmission (universal precautions)
12.Understanding how the condition affects learning and behavior

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Lead PoisoningLead Poisoning
• Illness caused by ingesting or
inhaling lead
• result in anemia and damage to
many organs, including the brain,
kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal
system.

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Rheumatic FeverRheumatic Fever
A disease in which there is tissue inflammation
 Fever and pain
 Stiffness of the joints
 Small, solid nodules under the skin
 Involuntary movements that affect the gait, arm
movements and speech.

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Sickle Cell AnemiaSickle Cell Anemia
• one type of anemia
• an inherited, lifelong disease
• affects millions of people worldwide
• there are treatments for the symptoms
and complications of the disease
Teachers can help students by
• Avoiding stressors (heat, cold, poor diet, inadequate
liquids)
• Observing students for symptoms of pain and consider the
emotional aspects of dealing with pain

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Assistive TechnologyAssistive Technology
Low and High TechLow and High Tech
 Videotaping class sessions for students
 Textbooks on tape
 Laptop or portable word processor to take notes
 Audio recorders to record lessons
 Screen reading software
 Voice recognition software
 Word prediction software
 Computers with speech input
 Adaptive keyboard, mouse, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXchQnJ6PoE

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AccommodationsAccommodations
 flexible time limits
 freedom to use
bathroom or
drinking fountain
 frequent breaks
 reduced
assignments
 alternative grading
scale
 safe Place
 alternative
assignments when
absent frequently

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StrategiesStrategies
 Caring, nurturing classroom environment
 Teach students about the health
impairment
 Use of visuals
 Hands-on learning
 Cooperative learning
 Buddy system
 Give short, concise directions
 Teach lessons that allow for movement
 Allow for frequent, positive feedback

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SummarySummary
Students miss so many days of school due
to illnesses beyond their control. Most
students actually want to go to school and
being with their friends helps them to
feel NORMAL. As educators it is very
important to accommodate children from
falling too far behind by sending work home
or providing a tutor in the child’s home
or after school.

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Provoking QuestionsProvoking Questions
1. Can children with Other Health
Impairment get help to attend school or
to learn at home?
2. How does growing up in an exceptional
family affect siblings of kids with Other
Health Impairment?
3. What can we do as a community to
assist children with Other Health
Impairment?

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ReferencesReferences
1. Nichcy
http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/Epilepsy.asp
3. CEC
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About_CE
4. Health Newsflash
http://www.healthnewsflash.com/conditions/seizures_and_epi
4. Fifth Edition Including Students with Special Needs, A
Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers by Marilyn Friend
and William D. Bursuck

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The EndThe End
Eleanor Quichocho Lolita Siguenza
Thank You!