OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT (OHI)

#9

FOCUS ON DIABETES, ASTHMA, ADD/ADHD

Elisabeth Rowland

Federal Defintion (IDEA)

The Federal Government, through IDEA, uses the term Other Health Impairments, abbreviated as OHI, to describe physical and health disabilities as follows: Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including heightened allertness with respect to the educational environment, that1. Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ ADHD), diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, and sickle cell anemia; and 2. Adversely affects the childs educational performance (Smith & Tyler, 2010, p.302).

Common Characteristics
Due to the wide range of conditions included in this disability it is somewhat difficult to generalize characteristics that describe all, or even the majority of students with other health impairments. However most students with these chronic illnesses and conditions frequently do not feel healthy or well enough to persistently focus their attention on instruction, or they may be absent due to their health when important content and skills are presented that are vital to their academic success. Although specific characteristics are difficult to assign to students having other health impairments, it is with ease that I address and pinpoint common characteristics of several of the most prevalent conditions that are included in this Special Education Population. These include Diabetes, Asthma, and Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Diabetes- Diabetes is the loss of the ability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin, resulting in problems with sugar metabolism (Smith & Tyler, 2010, p. 307). Asthma- A condition caused by narrowing of airways accompanied by inflammatory changes in the lining of the airways, may result in severe difficulty in breathing with chronic coughing (Smith & Tyler, 2010, p.307). Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)- Students with AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) display developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity, and/or motor activity that are associated with functional impairment...AD/HD typically emerges early in life and is a chronic disorder that places children at higher than average risk for academic, behavioral, and social difficulties in school settings (DuPaul & Weyandt, 2006, p.341-342). Because most students with physical and health disabilities are identified outside the educational community, Pre-referral is not a typical option. Still, teachers of identified students collaborate with health professionals, other relevant professionals, and the students family, in order to provide valuable information that aids in the development of effective education programs for them to utilize in order to meet their individual educational goals. (Smith & Tyler, 2010, 318). Because students spend a considerable portion of their day at school, educators are often the first to notice a change in the physical or health status of their students, despite the fact that teacher hardly ever participate in the initial diagnosis of students with other health impairments (Smith & Tyler, 2010, 318).

Specific Needs Relating to Characteristics

Diabetes
Health care needs include the monitoring of blood sugar levels, providing appropriate diet and exercise regimens, and having knowledgeable response for insulin reactions(Smith & Tyler, 2010, p.307).

Asthma
Health care needs include reducing allergens in the environment, providing appropriate medications, and at times limiting strenuous activities(Smith & Tyler, 2010, p.307).

How Students are Identified

Eligibility Process for Special Education

Generally, the students family doctor or pediatrician is the one to diagnose a physical or health disability (Smith & Tyler, 2010, p. 317). Sometimes physical or health disability conditions are identified as soon as the student is born, or soon after. This is due to symptoms of the condition that are instantaneously and blatantly recognizable, or their discovery by a testing process known as universal screening (Smith & Tyler, 2010, 317). Universal Screening-testing of all newbornsmandated by the state in which the infant lives. This is an effective tool for early identification of physical/health disabilities because of the ever improving abilities of modern medicine to identify conditions sooner (Smith & Tyler, 2010, 317).
Disability Expert Handout-Other Health Impairments (OHI)

Attention Deficit Disorder/ Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)

Behavioral techniques, direct and systematic instruction that is evaluated on a frequent basis, and highly motivating instructional materials have proved successful with many children currently identified as having ADHD. However, before students even have the opportunity to engage in classroom activities, many of these students need additional help in the form of medication (Smith & Tyler, 2010, p. 209).