Health Impairments

• Epilepsy is a physical condition that occurs when there is a sudden, brief change in how the brain works. When brain cells are not working properly, a person's consciousness, movement, or actions may be altered for a short time. Teachers should be aware of how to handle a seizure in the classroom. 

• Asthma is a lung disease with the following characteristics:
  1. Airway Obstruction (or airway narrowing) that is reversible (but not completely so in some patients) either spontaneously or with treatment
  2. Airway Inflammation
  3. Airway Hyperresponsiveness to a variety of stimuli

  Teachers should be aware of asthmatic's reaction to airborne paritcles.

   

• Cancer starts in just one cell. Acute leukemias are cancers of blood cells, and are one of two basic types. The first is "Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia" which starts in the white blood cell called the lymphocyte, and the second is "Acute Non-Lymphocytic Leukemia" which includes cancers arising from every other type of blood cell besides the lymphocyte. Teachers should be aware of fatigue due to treatment.

• Hemophilia A: Classic hemophilia due to profound deficiency of factor VIII in the blood, which is necessary for normal clotting. The hemophilia A gene is on the X chromosome, so females carry the gene. Each son of a female carrier stands a 50 percent chance of receiving the gene and having hemophilia. Treatment is by blood products that introduce clotting factor and replace lost blood. Teacher should be wary of signs of internal blood loss and classroom obstacles which could cause contusions.