PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

CAITLYN GIBBONS
 PHYSICAL DISABILITIES DEFINED

Physical disabilities: can affect a persons ability to

move about, to use arms and legs effectively, to
swallow food, and or to breath independently.

The IDEA uses the term orthopedic impairment to

describe students with physical disabilities.

Orthopedic impairment: an impairment such as an

amputation, the absence of a limb, or a condition
associated with cerebral palsy that may affect
physical and educational performance.

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 4 MAIN PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

Cerebral Palsy
Spina Bifida
Spinal Cord Injuries
Muscular Dystrophy

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 CEREBRAL PALSY

Definition:
Cerebral- Brain
Palsy- muscle weakness and poor motor control
CP is a neuromuscular disorder caused by damage to
one or more specific areas of the brain that affects
muscle coordination and body movement.
Movement characteristics
Spastic- Stiff and difficult movement
Athetoid- involuntary and uncontrolled movement
Ataxic- disturbed depth perception and very poor
sense of balance

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 CEREBRAL PALSY

About 764,00 individuals in the U.S. display features

of CP
Prevalence is 3.3 per 1,000 with many more boys
then girls affected (4:1)
Fundamental cause of CP is insult to the brain.
70 percent take place in the intrauterine period of
development
30 during the birthing process
Any condition that can adversely affect the brain can
cause CP
Environmental toxins, malnutrition, radiation, insufficient oxygen
to the brain.

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 CEREBRAL PALSY

Interventions School Based

Developing or
improving existing skills
Decreasing
complications of CP
Lessening skeletal
deformity
Improving mobility
Developing
communication skills
OT and PT
Assessment
Program planning IEP
Delivery of services
Consultation, Training,
Informal monitoring of
student performance
Augmentative
communication devices
Physical modifications-
braches, wheelchairs
etc..

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 SPINA BIFIDA

Spina Bifida is characterized by an abnormal

opening in the spinal column.
occulta vs cystica
Meningocele vs. myelomeningocele
This results in weakness of paralysis in the legs, and
lower body, an inability to control the bladder or
bowel voluntarily and the presence of other
orthopedic problems.
High co-morbidity with hydrocephalus

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 SPINA BIFIDA

1 in 1,500 births Interventions

No known cause but Bowel management
tendencies to run in the
family Braces, wheelchair,
Folic acid deficiencies crutches
Infant exposure to Served in general
teratogens education classrooms
Physical layout of
classroom, fieldtrips,
physical ed
Signs of malfunctioning
shunt

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 SPINAL CORD INJURY

Spinal Cord Injury is damage to the spinal cord that

results in a loss of function such as mobility or
feeling.
The severity of the disability depends on the level
and severity of the injury.
Paraplegia- lower body both legs
Hemiplegia- one side of the body
Quadriplegia- all four extremities and usually trunk
Tetraplegia- three appendages, or limbs usually the legs and one arm,
 SPINAL CORD INJURY

About 450,000 individuals live with SCI in the United

States.
Causes
Motor vehicle accidents (42%)
Violence- gun shot wounds (15.3%)
Sports related injury (7.4%)
Falls (27.1%)
Other causes (8%)

About 5 percent of the SCI occur in children, primary

from automobile- related accidents and falls.

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 SPINAL CORD INTERVENTIONS

Medical Stability Education Based

Education on how to Similar to those children
utilize muscle strength uninjured.
Teachers must be
Adaptive equipment aware of pressure sores
Pain relief (phantom from sitting for
pain) extended periods of
time
Psychological support Repositioning and
ADL training movements to help
prevent these
Depression awareness

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

Muscular Dystrophy (MD) is a progressive disorder

that may affect the muscles of the hips, legs,
shoulders, and arms progressively losing the ability
to walk and use their hands
Duchenne-type MD is the most common form of
childhood MD
About 200,000 people are affected by MD.
One in every 4,700 males are affected
Caused by Abnormalities in muscle proteins

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

No cure but treatment focuses on maintaining or

improving the individuals functioning and preserving
his or her ambulatory independence for as long as
possible
Preventing contractures
Drugs: Prednisone
Supportive devices: walkers, braces, night splints,
and eventually wheelchair.

(Hardman, Drew, & Egan, 2017)

 TIPS FOR EDUCATORS

Handout!
 LITERATURE

McNaughton,D., Rackensperger, T., Benedek-Wood, E., Krezman,

C., Williamms, M, & Light, J. (2008) A child needs to be given a
chance to succeed: Parents of individuals who use AAC
describe the benefits and challenges of learning AAC
technologies, Augmentative and Alternative
Communication, 24:1, 43-55
Awasthi, P., Chauhan, R., & Verma, S. (2016). Subjective well-being
of physically disabled and normal students. Indian
Journal of Health and Wellbeing, 7(6), 579-584.
 VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fi-miRqjHs
 CITATIONS

Hardman, M. L., Drew, C. J., & Egan, M. W. (2017). Human

exceptionality: school, community, and family.
Australia: Cengage Learning.