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K1: Awareness of the historical origins, parameters, and current issues related to the classification of Other Health Disabilities.

K2: Awareness of the definitions and characteristics of the primary disabilities included in the OHD category (including acquired brain injury, asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, burns, cancer, cardiovascular disorder, Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes mellitus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lead poisoning, migraines, neurofibromatosis, primary immune deficiency, sickle cell disease, sleep disorders, and ADHD).

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Other Health Disabilities: Related Terminology

Picture of a student learning to tell time. When you work with students receiving special education under the OHD category, you need to be familiar with some of the related terminology. Understanding these terms will help you support the student’s educational needs. Here is a list of terms and definitions from the Other Health Disabilities Companion Manual, starting on page 30:

Chronic Health Condition: One that is long-term and is either not curable or has residual features that result in limitations in functions of daily living requiring special assistance or adaptations, OR, a disease or disorder that develops slowly and persists for a long period of time—often for the remainder of the life span. Examples are epilepsy, sickle cell anemia, leukemia, diabetes, and some autoimmune diseases.

Acute: A disease or disease symptom that begins abruptly and with marked intensity and then subsides after a relatively short period of time. Examples would be Crohn’s disease, kidney diseases, or conditions that require an organ transplant (although these are all examples of chronic diseases, the occurrences of symptoms may come abruptly and, for a short period of time, have significant impact on the person and then resolve for a significant period of time), OR, a health condition with rapid onset, severe symptoms, and a short course. Sequelae, or the conditions that follow and result from a disease, however, may be short-term or persistent. (An example is when a child who has had meningitis may suffer from sequelae such as motor problems and cognitive impairment.)

Heightened or Diminished Alertness: Inability to maintain awareness, vigilance, mindfulness, or attentiveness. This may be caused by external stimuli in the environment or an internal inability to maintain focus.

Limited Strength: Lack of durability, energy, or vigor that results in decreased capacity to perform school activities.

Limited Endurance: The inability to maintain effort caused by a lack of resilience or stamina.

Excessive Absenteeism: Student is noted to have consistent or intermittent absences that interfere with academic progress and participation in school activities. Absences must be the result of hospitalizations, medical treatments, surgeries, or illnesses.

Inadequate Academic Progress: Inadequate progress in comparison to peers as measured by these outcomes and that are directly linked to the chronic/acute health condition:

Grades, test scores, and daily work: Academic work is consistently in the poor-to-failing range.
Poor work completion: Failure to consistently complete work in a timely manner and results in poor-to-failing academic performance.
Decrease or change in work output: There is a documented and consistent decrease or change in the amount of work produced that results in poor-to-failing academic performance.
Decrease or change in independent functioning or organizational skills: There is a documented and consistent decrease in student’s independent functioning or organizational skills that results in poor-to-failing academic performance.

Specialized Healthcare Procedures: The medically related services necessary during the school day prescribed by the student’s licensed physician/health care provider. These procedures require training for the individual who performs them. Examples include catherization, gastric tube feeding, postural drainage, tracheotomy care, oxygen administration, ostomy care, and the administration of medications: oral, inhaled, injected, or IV.

Licensed Physician: A person licensed by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice to practice medicine in the state of Minnesota or by another state board of medical practice to practice medicine in that state. This includes medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy. In Minnesota, a person must meet the criteria in Minnesota Statutes 2001, Chapter 147 (147.02 Examination; licensing, 147.03 Licensure by endorsement; reciprocity; temporary permit, 147.031 Examinations and licenses of osteopaths).

Systematic Interview: Objective and organized means of gathering data from parents and teachers to confirm or validate criteria.

Systematic Observation: An objective and organized means of gathering data to confirm or validate the criteria.

As part of a student’s educational team, you should fully understand these terms to communicate effectively with other team members. Better communication will lead to better educational support and increased success for the student.

References

Minnesota Department of Education. (2007). Other Health Disabilities Companion Manual (Draft). St. Paul: Author. Retrieved March 29, 2007, from http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/SpecialEd/documents/Publication/001683.pdf