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AT2 Mindmap: Impairments, Impairment, Definition, Impacts on learner,…
AT2 Mindmap: Impairments
- Neurologically related impairments :face_with_head_bandage:
Spina bifida
A congenital condition in which at least one vertebra in the spinal cord is not fully formed. Most often, a part of the spinal cord may appear outside the body. Spina bifida may affect different body functions and may appear at any part of the spinal column. The three forms of the disease are spina bifida meningocele, spina bifida myelomeningocele, and spina bifida occulta (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
In spina bifida meningocele, the protruding sac contains cerebrospinal fluid and membranes, but no nerves from the spinal cord (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
In spina bifida myelomeningocele, part of the spinal cord is outside the body (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
In spina bifida occulta, the spinal cord does not appear outside the body, and the condition is often visible by some hair on the affected area (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
- Reduced mobility and sensory ability below area of spinal column affected
- Flaccid paralysis
- Scoliosis
- Problems with joints in hips, ankles and knees
- Incontinence
- Urinary infections
- Hydrocephalus
- Pressure sores
- Cognitive impairment
- Seizures
- Strabismus
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Surgery
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Shunt for hydrocephalus
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Adaptation of the classroom to accommodate wheelchair or walking aids
- Frequent checks for incontinence
- Reminders to change position to prevent pressure sores
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Adaptation of questions during assessments if cognitively impaired
- Enlarged print to assist learners with vision problems
- Personal assistant to help with wheelchair, hydrocephalus shunt, and hygienic concerns
(Venter, 2022)
- Curriculum adaptation for learner with impaired cognitive ability (Fourie & Mavuso, 2022)
- Teacher training for seizure management
- Seating closer to board to assist with vision problems
-
Traumatic brain injury
A condition caused by an injury to the brain. Injuries can be open-head or closed-head, with open-head referring to direct damage of the brain and closed-head referring to indirect damage to the brain due to external forces on the skull. Traumatic brain injury can have both physical and cognitive repercussions (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
Symptoms may not appear immediately after trauma
("Traumatic Brain Injury", n.d.)
- Unconsciousness
- Headaches
- Seizures
- Coordination problems
- Irritability
- Depression
- Impaired executive functioning
- Memory loss
- Attention problems
- Loss of communication skills, both in writing and speaking
- Poor hand-eye coordination
("Traumatic Brain Injury", n.d.)
- Tiredness
- Paralysis
- Balance problems
- Speech, vision, and hearing impairments
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Scribe, if having difficulty with writing
- Prompter, for learner with impaired communication in writing
- Additional time during assessments
(Venter & Fourie, 2022)
- Adaptation of questions
- Rest breaks to relieve tiredness
(Venter, 2022)
- Classroom layout modifications to accommodate wheelchair or other mobility aids
- Counseling for emotional and psychosocial needs
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Teacher training to give assistance in the event of a seizure
- Seating closer to the board to help with vision and hearing problems
Post-poliomyelitis
A condition that characterised by flaccid paralysis and atrophy, most often in the legs and trunk, caused by the polio virus damaging motor cells (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
- Fecal-oral transmission is most common
- Most people do not show symptoms when infected
- Paralysis happens in 1/200 of infected cases
- Virus enters central nervous system and damages neurons
- Paralysis may be acute or chronic
(Wolbert et al., 2024)
- Acute cases recover in 2 years
- 60% of cases do not recover completely
- Muscles in upper body, arms and legs waste away
- Curvatures in spine
- Deformities in feet
- Limping
- Pain
- Fatigue
- Frequent falls
(Wolbert et al., 2024)
- Orthopedic surgery
- Wheelchairs or other mobility devices
- Braces
- Exercises
(Wolbert et al., 2024)
- Adaptation of classroom to accommodate wheelchair and walking aids (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Personal assistant to help with wheelchair (Venter, 2022) or managing braces
- Adapted physical education routine
- Decreasing the amount of written work (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
Muscular dystrophy
An inherited condition that is characterised by the gradual decline of muscle tissue in the body, leading to impaired movement and posture (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
- Fat replaced muscle tissue
- 9 variations
- Incurable
("Muscular Dystrophy", n.d.).
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Progressive weakness in upper body, face and arms
- Heart and lung complications
- Scoliosis
- Enlarged calves
- Pain in legs
- Falling often
("Muscular Dystrophy", n.d.).
- Wheelchair
- Physical therapy
- Medication
- Orthopedic aids
- Corrective surgery for scoliosis
("Multiple Sclerosis (MS)", n.d.)
- Scribe, if experiencing writing difficulties
- Separate venue during assessments
(Venter & Fourie, 2022)
- Classroom modifications, including large spaces between desks to allow for wheelchair or orthopedic aids (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Alternative physical education routine
- Decreasing the amount of written work required (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
Multiple sclerosis
A condition affecting the myelin sheath protecting the nerves, causing gradual decline in muscle strength, impairment in movement, and problems with speaking and eyesight (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
Myelin sheath is attacked by the immune system ("Multiple Sclerosis (MS)", n.d.).
- Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis - occurs with clear bouts
- Primary progressive multiple sclerosis - no clear bouts, but gradual progression
("Multiple Sclerosis (MS)", n.d.)
- Muscles weaken over time
- Symptoms may differ between patients
- Spastic muscle contractions
- Speech and vision impairments
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Weakness of muscles
- Paralysis
- Coordination and balance issues
- Sensory loss
- Muscle spasms
- Speech impairment
- Bladder infections and incontinence
- Poor concentration
- Memory loss
- Loss of the ability to swallow
("Multiple Sclerosis (MS)", n.d.)
- Medication
- Mobility devices, including braces
- Speech therapy
("Multiple Sclerosis (MS)", n.d.)
- Adaptation of the classroom to accommodate mobility devices and wheelchairs
- Frequent checks for incontinence
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Personal assistant to help with wheelchair and bathroom breaks (Venter, 2022) or taking off braces (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Scribe during assessments (Venter & Fourie, 2022)
- Adaptation of physical education routine
- Reducing the need for oral answers in class
- Decreasing the amount of written work needed (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
Friedreich's ataxia
A condition in which the spinal cord hardens over time, affecting the nerves in the limbs and trunk as well as the bones of the spine and feet (Kruger & Smith, 2011a).
- Caused by genetic mutation passed on by parents
- Deficiency in frataxin protein
- Affects the nervous system, heart, skeleton, and pancreas
("Friedreich's Ataxia (FA)", n.d.)
- Progressive weakening of limbs
- Loss of sensation
- Loss of hearing, vision, and speech
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Heart conditions
- Hyperglycemia and diabetes
- Scoliosis
- Foot problems
("Friedreich's Ataxia (FA)", n.d.)
- Frequent falls
- Difficulty walking
- Trembling hands
- Writing difficulties
- Difficulties with feeding
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Early death due to heart disease
- Wheelchair bound within 10 years
- Develop diabetes
("Friedreich's Ataxia (FA)", n.d.)
- Speech therapy to strengthen the muscles involved with speaking and swallowing
- Physical therapy to maintain muscles
- Surgery to improve skeletal deformities
- Braces for scoliosis or feet
- Medication to manage heart disease and diabetes
- Wheelchair or other walking aids
("Friedreich's Ataxia", n.d.)
- Scribe, due to poor handwriting
- Separate venue during assessments
- More time during assessments
(Venter & Fourie, 2022)
- Personal assistant to help with carrying books and materials
- Personal assistant to help with testing blood sugar levels and taking medications
- Rest break during assessment for taking medication (Venter, 2022)
- Modified classroom seating arrangement, to ensure space for wheelchair or orthopedic aids (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Adapted physical education routine
- Decreasing the amount of written work required (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
- Skeletal and muscular impairments :muscle:
Amputation
Removal of part of the body by surgery ("Amputation", n.d.) or due to an accident (Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
Due to injury or disease, such as cancer or diabetes ("Amputation", n.d.)
- Impaired mobility
- Fine motor skills impaired
- Writing impaired
- Pressure sores due to ill-fitting prosthesis
- Psychosocial challenges
(Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Phantom pain
- Residual limb pain
("Amputation", n.d.)
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy ("Amputation", n.d.)
- Head-controlled or foot-controlled computer mouse (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
- Assistance with regular changing of position during lessons to prevent pressure sores
- Checking prostheses for pressure sores and rubbing sore spots if necessary
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Buddy system to assist with mobility or tasks
- Personal assistant to help with wheelchair (Venter, 2022)
- Scribe during assessments (Venter & Fourie, 2022)
- Adaptation of exercise program
- Decreasing the amount of written work required (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
-
Arthrogryposis
Congenital multiple contractures (Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
A congenital condition in which the joints are stiff due to excessive connective tissue. Muscles are also weak (Kruger & Smith, 2011b).
A condition which is characterised by the inability of the joints in the arms and legs to move freely. The condition may be due to another disorder or to insufficient room in the womb when the baby is developing ("Arthrogryposis", n.d.)
- Abnormal positions and bending of the body at the joints
- Curved joints
- Hip dislocations
- Scoliosis
- Enlarged joints
- Thin limbs
- Heart disease
- Hernia
- Lung complications
- Impaired mobility
- Impaired writing
(Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Splints and casts worn
- Orthopedic surgery
- Braces for scoliosis
("Arthrogryposis, n.d.)
- Scribe, due to difficulty with writing
- Completing writing tasks with computer
(Venter, 2022)
- Personal assistant to help with removing braces (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Alternative exercise education routine due to mobility issues
- Decreasing the amount of written work (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Brittle bone disease (Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
A condition characterised by abnormally high levels of collagen in bones, causing bone weakness and fractures (Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
In osteogenesis imperfecta congenita, the baby is born with broken bones (Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
In osteogenesis imperfecta tarda, broken bones develop after the baby is born (Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Head has triangular shape
- Short, misshapen limbs
- Scoliosis
- Double-jointedness
- Short stature
- Blue tinge in whites of eyes
- Translucent skin
- Hearing impairments
- Impaired mobility
- Bones fracture easily
- Pain
(Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Wheelchair in severe cases
- Occupational therapy
- Physiotherapy
(Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Corrective surgery for curved spine/bones
- Rodding surgery
- Walkers, braces, wheelchairs
(National Institute of Arthritis and Muscoskeletal and Skin Diseases [NIAMS], n.d.).
- Swimming as alternative exercise plan due to risk of breaking bones (NIAMS, n.d.)
- Adaptation of the classroom to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility aids (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Personal assistant to help with wheelchair (Venter, 2022), or removing braces (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Seating arrangement closer to front to help with hearing
- Adjusting the height of classroom shelves to accommodate learners of short stature
- Educating other learners about rough play and possible fractures
- Learner buddy system to ensure playground safety
Burn lesions
A condition caused by the aftermath of experiencing severe burns. At the affected area, the skin tightens, causing contractures (Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Distortions of face
- Impaired eyesight
- Impaired mobility
- Not able to endure high temperatures
- Impaired ability to exercise extensively
- Feelings of guilt
- Emotional trauma
- Pain
(Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Counselling for emotional support
- Adaptation of classroom layout to ensure ease of movement if mobility aids are used
(Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
- Adapted exercise routine to prevent overexertion and high temperatures
- Teach other learners to accept the learner, due to new social challenges faced
(Kruger & Smith, 2011b)
- Seating arrangement closer to board if visually impaired
- Decreasing the amount of written work needed (Kruger & Botha, 2011)
Marfan syndrome
A condition in which elongation of the skull, fingers and toes occur (Kruger & Smith, 2011b).
A genetic condition which affects connective tissue in the body, impacting the circulatory system, skeletal system, respiratory system, eyes, and skin. Symptoms show as the patient matures ("Marfan Syndrome", n.d.)
- Limbs that are disproportionately long and thin
- Slim body and face
- Scoliosis
- Indented or protruding sternum
- Dislocation at joints
- Foot problems
- Dental problems
- Impaired eyesight
- Heart disease
- Respiratory problems
("Marfan Syndrome", n.d.)
- Heart medication and heart surgery ("Marfan Syndrome", n.d.)
- Personal assistant to help with taking medication
- Rest breaks to ensure medications can be taken
(Venter, 2022)
- Adapted exercise routine to avoid contact sports ("Marfan Syndrome", n.d.)
- Seating arrangement closer to front to help with poor eyesight
- Assistance with taking off or putting on back braces (Kruger & Smith, 2011a)
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