HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS

Presented by Dainy Nhan

A variety of diseases and disorders

People who have limited strength, energy or alertness that affects their ability to learn in a normal classroom.

Other Health Impairments can range from attention deficit disorder, or ADD,a disorder where children have trouble focusing their attention on one task for an extended time, to serious life threatening diseases like cancer or HIV.

Some of disorders are present at birth

Sickle cell anemiaAsthma Hemophilia or

epilepsy

Sickle Cell Anemia

A serious condition in which the red blood cells can become sickle-shaped (that is, shaped like a “C”).

Normal red blood cells are smooth and move easily through blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body.

Sickle-shaped cells don’t move easily through blood. They’re stiff and sticky and tend to form clumps and get stuck in blood vessels.

Normal and Sickled Red Blood Cells in Blood Vessels

Figure A

Shows normal red blood cells flowing freely in a blood vessel. The inset image shows a cross-section of a normal red blood cell with normal hemoglobin.

Figure B

Shows abnormal, sickled red blood cells clumping and blocking the blood flow in a blood vessel. The inset image shows a cross-section of a sickled red blood cell with abnormal strands of hemoglobin.

The clumps of sickle cells block blood flow in the blood vessels that lead to the limbs and organs.

Blocked blood vessels can cause pain, serious infections, and organ damage.

Treatments

Needs regular medical care and exercise.

Asthma

A chronic disease that affects your airways

The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs.

In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

TreatmentsTake medicine that

control your asthma. Using asthma

medicines. Monitoring your

asthma so that you can recognize when your symptoms are getting worse and respond quickly to prevent or stop an asthma attack.

HemophiliaInherited bleeding

disorder in which your blood doesn’t clot normally.

If you have hemophilia, you may bleed for a longer time than others after an injury. You also may bleed internally, especially in your knees, ankles, and elbows. This bleeding can damage your organs or tissues and, sometimes, be fatal.

TreatmentsA medical care

setting.Getting treatment

quickly for bleeding to limit damage is important.

Other impairments are caused by acquired conditions

Lead poisoning Rheumatic fever

Lead poisoning

A highly toxic substance, exposure to which can produce a wide range of adverse health effects.

Rheumatic feverA complicated,

involved disease that affects the joints, skin, heart, blood vessels, and brain.

TreatmentsA medical care

setting.Children with

rheumatic fever are often treated in the hospital, depending upon the severity of the disease.

The category is broad and a person does not necessarily need special education just because they have the condition.

Epilepsy and Diabetes are both diseases that can affect learning in some cases, but that can usually be managed by medications allowing students to lead normal lives with no effect on learning.