Children with Developmental Challenges

Children With Developmental Challenges 3(2+1)

Lesson 8 : Physical Disabilities- Neuromotor Impairment

Mobility Impairment

It is a disability affecting the ability to control muscle movement, which often limits mobility. Examples include cerebral palsy, arthritis, paralysis, limb loss and reduced function of one or more limbs. The impact of these conditions on learning, development and participation will vary from child to child.

Many children with motor impairment will also experience difficulties in social interaction with other children (and adults), with attention as well as with their cognitive and language development. This highlights the need for comprehensive collaboration between education, health and social sectors when support services are organized by teachers, schools and education authorities.
Mobility impairments range in severity from limitations on stamina to paralysis. Some mobility impairments are caused by conditions present at birth while others are the result of illness or physical injury.

• Quadriplegia, paralysis of the extremities and trunk, is caused by a neck injury. Students with quadriplegia have limited or no use of their arms and hands and often use electric wheelchairs. Paraplegia, paralysis of the lower extremities and the lower trunk, is caused by an injury to the mid-back. Students often use a manual wheelchair and have full movement of arms and hands.
• Amputation is the removal of one or more limbs, sometimes caused by trauma or another condition.
• Arthritis is the inflammation of the body’s joints, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty in body movement.
• Back disorders can limit a student’s ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, or carry objects. They include, but are not limited to, degenerative disk disease, scoliosis, and herniated disks.
• Cerebral palsy is the result of damage to the brain prior to or shortly after birth. It can prevent or inhibit walking and cause a lack of muscle coordination, spasms, and speech difficulty.
• Neuromuscular disorders include a variety of disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and ataxia, that result in degeneration and atrophy of muscle or nerve tissues.