adaptive behavior

Adaptive Behavior and Behavior Scales: Truly Defining a Child

Adaptive behavior means that the behavior or “anything that an organism does involving action and response to stimulation” (Merriam-Webster, 2006) is adaptive or “modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its environment” (Merriam-Webster, 2006).

adaptive behavior

In other words…Adaptive behavior is the ability to adjust to one’s environment in order to prosper. Adaptive behaviors include: communication, self-help skills, socialization, and motor skills. Communication can be broke down into receptive, expressive, and written. It is something that may be quantified in order to place a student in education, define services needed, or determine the future of a child. With so much riding on how a child’s adaptive behavior is perceived, how is it truly determined. There are behavior scales that are normally rated by many people in the child’s life. The more the better it can give a more well rounded picture of the individual, but still problems arise as all people might not have a shared view.

Problems with Defining Adaptive Behavior:

  • It is hard to define adaptive behavior using words outside of adaptive and behavior
  • It is hard to specifically test adaptive behavior as it is a very broad picture that occurs in a variety of environments with a variety of different ingredients.
  • Tests Directly reflect the biases of the individuals filing them out

How to Correctly Asses Adaptive Behavior

  • Do lots of behavior scales from multiple individuals
  • If any scale is way off talk about it as a team and if possible get another person in a similar relationship with the child to fill one out. Then check for discrepancies and consistencies
  • Remember we all act differently in different environments. There is very likely going to be some discrepancies.
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Physical and Health Impairments

Physical and Health Impairments: The Facts

Definition:

Both physical and health impairments are considered disabilities when they interfere with education and other daily living. Physical impairments include those caused by congenital abnormality impairments caused by disease and impairments from other causes. Health impairments include disease and/or chronic illness.

Causes:

With so many different conditions under the category of Physical and health impairments, there are also lots of diverse causes. C.P. and Spina Bifida can be caused by abnormal brain growth. Some other disorders are caused genetically, the result of an injury, poisoning, hormonal abnormalities, while some are still unknown.

Characteristics:

It is important to find out what is the underlying disease or disorder that causes the physical and/or health impairment in or to truly define the characteristics. Some characteristics can include adaptive equipment, limited movement, shortened endurance, and extra medical needs.

School Approach:

For children with physical and health impairments or traumatic brain injury, they might need slightly different support from the teacher. They often need an interdisciplinary team of professionals to aid in all of their special needs. For example, a student may need a physical therapist to work on their gross motor goals, an occupational therapist to work on fine motor and self-help skills, and a speech therapists to work on any difficulty with language. To help the students become more self-competent, the teachers and therapist(s) can help the child learn to take care of their own special medical needs. Although students with physical disabilities, health impairments, and traumatic brain injury may need a larger interdisciplinary team, it is important to note that, forty-five percent of students with physical and/or health impairments are educated in a regular classroom. It is important for the student’s special needs instructors or regular education teachers to account for the child’s needs and keep the environment open for wheelchairs and/or any other medical device that the child may have. It is also important to keep the child comfortable in their learning environment, so that they can focus on their education. This includes prioritizing safety and using assistive technology when possible to better accommodate the child’s needs.

Physical and Health Impairments

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International Down Syndrome Day

Yesterday was International Down Syndrome Day. Although this is a day late, there is no difference in the importance of celebrating those different from us. It is each of our uniqueness’s that make the whole more interesting. As the video states, different is not less and there is so much to learn from one another.

International Down Syndrome Coalition for Life

Down Syndrome effects 1 in every 691 births. It can range in severity, but the common symptoms are a delay in physical and intellectual development. Often individual’s effected have low muscle town, a flattened facial profile, a single crease across the palm, and an upward slant to the eyes. There can be heart, feeding, sight, and other issues involved. Down Syndrome is present when there are 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46 a the chromosome effected is the 21st chromosome. It can be only a partial or a full copy of Chromosome 21. There are cases that they call ‘Mosaic’ where some of the areas of the individual are normal while others are not. There is no known reason for the disorder, but it occurs when there is an error in cell division.  The chances increase with age of the mother, but 80% of children born with down syndrome are under 35 years old.

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Down Syndrome: A Bio by the Father of a Child Effected

traumatic brain injury

Traumatic Brain Injury: A Simple Breakdown

A Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, includes a wide range of injuries with a broad spectrum of symptoms and possible disabilities. Many times the wider range impacts cannot be noted until later on if the accident occurs when the child is very small. The following are some basic facts about a Traumatic Brain Injury:

traumatic brain injury

Definitions

An injury that is caused by an external physical force, which leads to an impairment in one or more areas of functioning and can cause delays/ difficulty with educational performance.

Causes

There are both open and closed head injuries. Open are caused by penetration of an object to the head, and closed are when a blunt stationary object hits the head resulting in the brain slamming into the cranium.

Characteristics

There is a wide range of characteristics, which may be permanent or temporary. They include:

  1. physical and sensory change
  2. cognitive impairments
  3. social, behavioral, and emotional problems

Education

As each injury is different, so are the impacts and the child’s needs. It is important as an educator to truly understand each individual child, so that the child can truly benefit from their education by having an environment that catered to them. This also means being aware of any challenges the child seems to be having learning or manipulating their environment to meet their needs.

Parenting

Again each case is so individual. Listen to the doctors and your own heart. If something doesn’t seem right, pursue it. You are your child’s most important advocate. This means to educate yourself on your individual child’s needs and follow your intuition on what needs you see so that your child can get any additional help needed. This may range from physical therapy, speech, therapy, occupational therapy to help in academics.

Other Resources

Here’s a great spot on CNN about Children and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Down Syndrome: A Bio by the Father of a Child Effected

Down Syndrome effects 1 in every 691 births. It can range in severity, but the common symptoms are a delay in physical and intellectual development. Often individual’s effected have low muscle town, a flattened facial profile, a single crease across the palm, and an upward slant to the eyes. There can be heart, feeding, sight, and other issues involved. Down Syndrome is present when there are 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46 a the chromosome effected is the 21st chromosome. It can be only a partial or a full copy of Chromosome 21. There are cases that they call ‘Mosaic’ where some of the areas of the individual are normal while others are not. There is no known reason for the disorder, but it occurs when there is an error in cell division.  The chances increase with age of the mother, but 80% of children born with down syndrome are under 35 years old.

Here’s, Noah’s Dad, a great blog written by a dad that details the life of his child with down syndrome. Hope you can find it helpful