Special Education

What secondary health issues should be considered for students with physical disabilities , other health impairments and severe sensory diss

Students with existing physical and sensory disabilities may suffer primarily from their condition but attention must also be focused on the secondary conditions that may arise from their disabilities . A physical disability may result from cerebral palsy , multiple sclerosis , acquired brain injury , muscular dystrophy and other conditions of the muscular nervous and respiratory system . Such conditions may result in a considerable degree of restricted activity . Such limitations may lead these students

to have poor physical activity and adapt a sedentary lifestyle which makes them at risk for obesity . Their physical condition may also discourage them from participating in sports and exercise

Children with physical disabilities (e .g . cerebral palsy , muscular dystrophy ) are at risk for developing additional or secondary health conditions such as respiratory problems , heart disease , stroke and psychological or mental diss . In addition , these secondary health conditions may arise from health behaviors on tobacco , alcohol substance use , poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyle

Research has shown that even though children with disabilities are less likely than their counterparts without physical disabilities to drink smoke or use drugs , but they are more likely to have unhealthy eating habits and adapt a more sedentary lifestyle (e .g . watching television at the expense of physical activity (Steele , 1996

Students who have disabilities are also at a high risk for mental diss such as depression . When they are included in a mainstream classroom , they...