What term do educators use to refer to a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely?

 What are the definitions of physical disabilities and other health impairments as used in special education? 
According to The United States Department of Education IDEA 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a physical disability is categorized under "orthopedic impairment" and defined as: 
"A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractors)."

Other health impairment is defined by IDEA as:
"Having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that--
(i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and
(ii) Adversely affects a child's educational performance".

What are the major characteristics of students with these disabilities? 
The characteristics of a physical disability will vary significantly depending of the type and severity of the physical disability as well as the body parts affected. Some of the more common physical disabilities are:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Spina Bifida
• Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal Conditions

The characteristics of students with other health impairments also vary depending on the health impairment. Students may be weak, tired, or in pain. Students with other health impairments tend to have more absences due to their illness. Common health conditions that may classify a student as other health impaired are:

• Asthema
• HIV/AIDS
• Sickle-Cell Disease
• Epilepsy
• Cancer
• Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes
• Cystic Fibrosis (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011)

  
How often do physical disabilities and other health impairments occur? 
Of school-age-children, approximately 0.14% are classified as having a physical disability and 0.59% are classified as having other health impairments (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011).

What are some important areas of assessment and planning for these students?
Some students with physical disabilities have difficulty communicating. It is important for educators to determine the intellectual abilities of these students so teachers can provide students with instruction that is academically challenging. The following questions should be addressed when educating students with physical or other heath impairments:

1. Where should the student receive services and which accommodations should be used?
2. What curriculum is appropriate and what are the student's individual goals?
3. What methods of instruction will provide students with effective learning opportunities?  
4. Should adaptive devices be used? If so, which adaptive devices will be used?
5. How can school staff ensure they are addressing the physical and health-care needs of the student?
6. How will school staff communicate effectively with the parents, the families, and the heath-care professionals of the student (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011)?  

What special considerations exist for these students with regard to instruction and related services? 
Early intervention is important for both students with physical disabilities and students with other health impairments. Early intervention can provide students with physical conditions with therapeutic intervention which can help to improve the student's strength, posture, and range of movement. Early intervention also helps parents provide interventions at home. When students are enrolled in early intervention, school personnel, health-care providers, and social workers offer support to parents who may be having a difficult time as a result of their child's physical limitations or illness.

It is important that teachers determine the individual learning needs of the student. Some students with physical or health impairments may be academically gifted and some may have other disabilities, including learning disabilities. All students with disabilities will participate in the general curriculum, but some will receive modifications or instruction in daily living skills. According to Rosenberg, Westling, and McLeskey (2011), the following are guidelines when teaching a student with other health impairments in the general classroom:

•  Know the warning signals for students with conditions such as respiratory problems, heart conditions, or other chronic health problems and how to respond to students' needs.
  
• Follow universal precautions to avoid contact with any communicable diseases.
• Have emergency plans in case of an equipment failure, an emergency physical problem, or problems occurring due to natural disasters.
• Be aware of routine treatments and who is responsible for carrying them out.
• Know the medication the student takes, who is to administer it, and the possible side effects. 
• Know special nutritional needs such as dietary restrictions, special diets, or special eating procedures. 
• Know how much the student is expected to participate in self-managing his special physical or health needs. It is essential that the student practice as much independence as possible (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011 p. 390).

The following are guidelines when teaching a student with physical disabilities in the general classroom:

• The school and classroom should be assessed by a physical or occupational therapist to determine its accessibility.
• School arrangements such as ramp handrails, widening of sidewalks, and doorways, and adjustment of the heights of equipment might be necessary. 
• In the classroom, the teachers should make sure that there is ready access to all parts of the room, including centers and materials.
• Sometimes classroom temperatures may have to be adjusted to accommodate a student's heath needs (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2011 p. 390).

For more information on how to help students with physical or other heath impairments in the classroom, please visit:

• http://www.usfca.edu/sds/teaching_mobility_and_health/

• http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/orthopedic-impairments/

• http://www.education.com/reference/article/orthopedic-impairments/
  

What are some major issues related to teaching and providing services to students with physical disabilities or other health impairments? 
There are often added expenses in educating students with disabilities. Schools are often required to provide medical services for students. The cost of these services can be significant. There can also be safety risks involved for those providing the services. Schools may need to set boundaries as to what medical services will be provided by the school and what medical services will be provided by heath professionals. Assistive technology is also a very expensive tool. Finding money in the school budget to provide for the added services of students with physical disabilities or other heath impairments can be difficult.

What are types of orthopedic impairments?

What is orthopedic impairment disability?

What is the most common orthopedic impairment in the schools?

What are the characteristic of orthopedic impairment?