Module 6- Health, Physical, And Sensory Disabilities Flashcards by Brittany Gillespie

What causes ALS, who does it impact, how long does a individual have to live

No known cause, most commonly impact individuals between 40 and 70 years old, most die within 2-5 years of diagnosis

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis refers to?

Also referred to as Lou Getirig’s disease which affects neurons(nerve cells used by central nervous system for generating voluntary movements)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Characteristics of ALS

Progressive disease
Fatal one
No cure
Causes motor neurons to degenerate or break down over time
Neurons become incapable of sending messages to muscles leading to muscle inactivity resulting in weakness eventually muscle atrophy(decrease/wasting away of muscle tissue)
Loss ability to walk, move arms, turn head, eat, speak
Actions and behaviour regulated by autonomic nervous system
Does not clearly impact cognitive ability/personality

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Best practice for individuals with ALS

Be patient
Be calm
Reassure person
If you think medical event is occurring obtain medical attention
Practice persons first language and plain language skills

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is diabetes

Metabolic disorder affecting over 3million Canadians

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What causes diabetes

By high blood sugar lead to problems with various organs and systems within the body including cardiovascular system and kidneys

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is diabetic comas

Dangerous complication which occurs when blood sugar levels in affected are dangerously high or too low

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What causes diabetes

Leading causes are lifestyle and genetics
Overweight
Smoking

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are characteristics of diabetes

Shortness of breath
Nausea/vomiting 
Fast/irregular heart beat
Shaky/nervous 
Sweaty
Confusion
Breath which smells like alcohol

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are the types of diabetes

TYPE ONE: not preventable results from failure of pancreas to create insulin, which allows glucose to be stores in blood supply instead if being used as energy, usually diagnosed at young age, lifelong disease, must take insulting, eat properly and exercise
TYPE TWO: pancreas simply fails to produce enough insulin, progressive condition becomes more difficult to regulate with age

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Best practice when interacting with individuals with diabetes

Very important to recognize an individual with diabetes since a diabetic attack can mimic intoxication and if left in drunk tank over night they can die

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is epilepsy

Neurological condition which causes periods of irregular brain activity leading to seizures

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What cause epilepsy

Not well know. More known about what triggers an epileptic episode then what causes that condition
Brain injury due to trauma, exposure to or abuse of chemical are suspected causes

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What can trigger an epileptic seizure

Stress
Fear
Anxiety
Flickering lights
Missed medication
Lack of sleep
Illness
Missed meals
Poor nutrition

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are some treatments for epilepsy

Anti-seizure medication

In rare instances surgery

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are some characteristics of epilepsy

Different types of seizures- violent shaking, zoning out or appear to have mind elsewhere

Best practices when dealing with someone with epilepsy

Do not put anything in their mouth
Remove objects surrounding or on the person that can cause harm
Place person in recovery position (laying on sides clear airways)
Remain with person will consciousness is regained and keep them calm

What is Tourette’s syndrome

As a neurological or neurochemical disorder characterized by tics (sudden movements/vocalization) that occurs repeatedly in same way

What causes Tourette’s? Can it be cured?

Not been discovered
People sometimes grow out of symptoms
No cure and lifespan not affected

What are characteristics of Tourette’s?

Can be simple tics of complex tics
Simple: motor-eye blinking head jerking vocal- throat clearing, tongue clicking
Complex:motor-jumping, touching, smelling vocal- saying words out of context, repeating, using social unacceptable language

What is stroke

Described as condition which occurs when sudden decrease of blood supply to brain leads to oxygen deprivation and death of surrounding brain tissue

What causes stroke

Caused when blood vessels in the brain ruptured, damaging and ultimately resulting in death of near by brain cells

What are characteristics of stroke? Can often lead to?

Characteristics vary depending on what part of the brain is damaged
Lead to permanent brain injury

Stroke can be help with?

Medication

Rehabilitation therapy to recover some of the damaged motor skills and cognitive function

Best practices when dealing with someone who has had a stroke

Signs may be be clearly visible Someone complains of severe and sudden onset of unusual head ache, demonstrating difficulty with motor skills, vision, speech, memory and ability to reason, consider possibility of stroke Call for immediate medical assistance Always remain calm

What is hearing impairment

When a person has lost some if not all of their ability to hear

When is someone considered dead

When an individual with complete hearing loss in one or both ears

What causes hearing impairment

Can be hereditary Can be caused by mother being exposed to some illnesses or medication during pregnancy Several types of childhood illnesses Head injuries Exposure to repetitive, loud noise in environment

Characteristics of hearing impairment

Underdeveloped or limited spoken language | May use alternative forms of communication

Can hearing impairment be reversed? Anything done to help?

Not reversible Hearing devices Implantation surgery

What are some cues that might indicate you might be dealing with a hearing impairment

Appears to be straining to hear what you are saying Struggles to hear you when there is noise in background Asks you to repeat yourself Appears to misunderstand what you are saying Telephone convo, provides cues that hey are unable to hear you

Best practices when dealing with hearing impairment

Do not assume someone has a hearing impairment Remove environmental noises Ensure you have access to professional signer for ppl with profound deafness

What vision is needed to be legally blind

Less than 20/200 in each eye

What is tunnel vision

Impairment resulting in decreased field of vision

Causes of visual impairment

Health and environmental factors Loss presented at birth associated with related to development of fetus Later in life can be attributed to various diseases of eye

Is visual impairment correctable

No. Surgery and glasses may help resolve some ability to see in specific cases

Best practices when dealing with persons with health, physical and sensory disabilities

Need to be professional and respectful at all times May need to call for assistance of an interpreter If they have a guard dog remember that the dog is trained to be loyal to owner and to protect owner. Remember you actions will be directed to both individual and support dog

What are some potential misunderstandings between persons with disabilities and the police

- unexpected actions taken by some individuals with disabilities may be misconstrued by officers as suspicious/illegal activity/uncooperative behaviour - deaf/hearing impairment/speech/learning/blind/visually impaired may not recognize or be able to respond to police directions, may be seen as uncooperative - May have staggering gait/slurring speech result of disability/medication they take may be perceived as intoxicated