OHI+-+Epilepsy

OHI (Other Health Impairments)

What is OHI? Basically...

OHI is a group of physical or mental impairments which can affect a child's performance at school.

What are the benefits of this category? It helps students to obtain an IEP or a 504 plan!

__THUS__

Helping each child succeed. That is why OHI was created!

What impairments are included?

•Asthma •Cancer  •Liver Disease •Kidney Disease    •Severe Diabetes •Sickle Cell Anemia   •ADD or ADHD •Heart Issues

"My child has ADHA and has been categorized as OHI. The school is designing an IEP for her."  -Parent supportive of OHI

__ Our Focus: __ **// Epilepsy //** Types of Epilepsy There are multiple types of epilepsy and multiple types of seizures. __Defined by these features:__

-type or types of seizures -age at which the seizure begin -causes of the seizures -whether the seizures are inherited -part of the brain involved -factors that provoke seizures -how severe and how frequent the seizures are -pattern of seizures by time of day -certain patterns on the EEG, during seizures and between seizures -other disorders in addition to seizures -prospects for recovery or worsening

Video Clip [|Epilepsy Video]

How can epilepsy affect a student in my classroom?

__Behavioral difficulties for a student with epilepsy __

•Roughly one in four children with epilepsy has significant behavior problems. •The drug most commonly implicated with altered behavior is phenobarbital, which can cause hyperactivity and memory impairment. •Almost all anti-convulsant medications have some adverse effects on cognition, learning, and mood. •It is important when treating seizures in children with learning difficulties to carefully assess the medication used and the possible impact of this medication. •Neurobehavioral disorders including fatigue, depression, anxiety, and psychosis commonly affect patients with epilepsy

__Learning difficulties for a student with epilepsy __ •Memory impairment. This impairment can range from poor concentration and minor forgetfulness to gross clouding of consciousness and disorientation. •Daytime seizures can affect learning by reducing alertness and by interfering with short-term information storage and abstraction. •Night-time seizures can disrupt the consolidation of memory and affect language functions. •Learning disabilities are more prevalent in individuals with epilepsy (approaching 50%) than in the general population. •May have cognitive impairments, which effect attention, memory, mental speed, and language, as well as executive and social functions.

What do I do if a student in my classroom has a seizure?

It is important to stay calm  and protect the child   experiencing the seizure   ** Treat the student with special care as epilepsy can be linked ** ** to a feeling of increased social pressure and embarrassment. **  **__For Convulsive Seizures: __** 1. Cu shion the child’s head  2. Loosen tight neckwear to ease breathing  3. Turn the child onto his/her side  4. Keep the child's airway open  5. Do not insert any object in the child's mouth  6. Do not hold down or restrain the child  7. Remove any sharp or solid objects from nearby  8. Note how long the seizure lasts and symptoms that occurred  9. Stay with the child until the seizure ends

**__For Non-Convulsive Seizures: __** 1. Remove any dangerous objects from nearby  2. Don't try to stop the child from wandering unless the child is in danger  3. Don't shake the child or shout  4. Stay with the child until he/she is alert ** Call 911 for help if: ** • The seizure happened in water  • The seizure lasts more than five minutes   • The child does not begin breathing again or does not return to consciousness after the seizure   • Another seizure starts before the child regains consciousness   • The child has two or more seizures in a row   • The child incurred injuries from the seizure

__ Strategies/Modifications __ Depending on the type of seizure or how often they occur, some children may need additional assistance to help them keep up with classmates. Assistance can include adaptations in classroom instruction, first aid instruction on seizure management to the student's teachers, and counseling, all of which should be written in the IEP.

School staff and the family should work together to monitor the effectiveness of medication as well as any side effects. Children with epilepsy must also deal with the psychological and social aspects of the condition.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Resources __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">•[|www.epilepsy.com] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">•[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">•[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Presented by <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Ron, AJ, Ann & Margie