Week 5 Flashcards
What are the types of disability according to the NDS?
Intellectual Physical Acquired Brain Injury (ABIs) Neurological (including epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease) Deafblind (dual sensory) Vision Hearing Speech Psychiatric Developmental Delay
What is disability?
- Total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions
- Total or partial loss of a part of the body
- Presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness
- Malfunction, malformation, disfigurement of a part of the person’s body
- Disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning different from a person without the disorder or malfunction
- Disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement, or that results in disturbed behaviour
- Impact daily activities
What is an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)?
Any type of brain damage that happens after birth including:
- TBI
- Stroke
- Brain tumour
- Poisoning
- Infection & disease
- Near drowning or other anoxic episodes
- ETOH & Drug Abuse
What are the immediate effects of ABI?
- LOC
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Vomiting
- Headache nausea
- Confusion
- Altered respiratory pattern
- Cushing Triad…
What are some long term effects of ABI?
- Short-term memory
- Altered sleep patterns
- Change in personality
- Depression
- Irritability
- Emotional and behavioural problems
- Seizures
- Motor / Sensory problems
- Paralysis / Quadriplegia
What is a seizure?
Rapid and uncoordinated electrical activity in the brain
Could be symptomatic, but also asymptomatic
How can illicit substances cause disability?
Illicit substances abuse could cause brain damages
• Affects neurotransmitters release / uptake (causes euphoric effects or ↑wakefulness + physical activities)
- Alterations of chemical concentrations
- Causes long term changes in neurotransmission
• ↑BP and/or ↑HR
- ↑Risk of cerebral bleed
• ↓ Perfusion
- ↑Risk of Hypoxic injuries
• ↓ Consciousness
- ↓ Respiratory drive, ↑ risk of aspiration
- ↑Risk of Hypoxic injuries
• Correlation with ↑hallucination + psychosis
What can ETOH cause?
Interfere absorption of thiamine (Vitamin B1)
↑ Dementia, Encephalopathy, Psychosis, Seizures
WHat are some potential issues of ETOH?
- -ve interaction with prescribed medications
- ↑ risk of overdose and alchol poisioning
- ↑depression, anger, emotional ups & downs, impulsivity, risk-taking and challenging behaviours
How can diabetets be considered disability?
A group of different conditions in which the body cannot maintain healthy levels of BGL
• Affects entire body
• Chronic hyperglycaemia could cause complications
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Nerve damages > Altered sensation
- Unable to realise injuries / ulcers
- Worsening injuries
- Delayed treatment
• PVD
- Altered blood flow to legs and feet
- Delayed wound healing
- Tissue damage or death (gangrene)
If infection cannot be stopped or damage is irreparable…
• Amputation may be necessary
What is the spinal cord?
Long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissues
Extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem, to the lumbar region of vertebral column
- Connections between the brain the PNS (Peripheral Nervous System)
- Transit nervous impulses between PNS and the brain
What is autonomic dysreflexia?
A syndrome in which there is a sudden onset of excessively HTN (Could be life-threatening)
More common in people with T6 injuries or above
WHat are common triggers of autonomic dysreflexia?
- Overfull Bladder, UTIs
- Overfull bowel / Constipation
- GI problems
- Pressure injuries, ingrown nails, skin problems
- Trauma
- Tight clothing or devices
- Extreme temperature or quick temperature changes
What are the S&S of autonomic dysreflexia?
Pounding headache
Flushed face and/or red blotches on skin above the level of SCI
Sweating above the level of SCI
Nasal Stuffiness
Nausea
Bradycardia (could be tachycardia at times)
Goose bumps below the level of SCI
Cold, pale, clammy skin below the level of SCI
What are some complications of Autonomic Dysreflexia?
- Existing SCI (Commonly above T6)
- Over-activity of ANS by stimuli originated from below the level of SCI
- Nerve impulses travel up to the spinal cord until blocked by the lesion
- Reflex response activated below the level of SCI, promote vascular constriction below the SCI
- Overall HTN triggered inhibitory response from the brain, to promote vasodilation
- Signal from brain can’t pass below the SCI
- Therefore, unopposed vasodilation continues above injured point, and unopposed vasoconstriction
continues below injured point.