Children with Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments Multiple-Choice Questions 1. A physical disability is a. usually concurrent with a mental disability. b. a condition that incapacitates the skeletal, muscular, and/or neurological systems of the body to some degree. c. the same as a health impairment. d. a condition that is caused by an accident. 2. Most individuals believe that disabilities become handicaps only when a. the federal government so defines them. b. society uses them as a reason to discriminate against people. c. they are severe enough to limit mobility and social interaction. d. they require continual medical care. 3. Many people with a physical disability prefer to use the term to describe their condition? a. physically challenged b. handicapped c. low incidence d. severely involved 4. What is the relationship between physical disabilities and mental disabilities? a. Physical disabilities typically occur with moderate to severe mental disabilities (mental retardation). b. Physical disabilities typically occur with mental health disabilities (schizophrenia, neurosis). c. Many individuals with physical disabilities have no mental disabilities. d. Physical disabilities tend to cause certain mental conditions, such as depression. 5. Rheumatic fever, hemophilia, and epilepsy are conditions mentioned in the IDEA definition of a. orthopedically impaired. b. physically impaired. c. health impaired. d. traumatic brain injury. 6. The prevalence of children identified with cerebral palsy a. gradually decreased over the past 20 years due to updates in medical technology. b. has remained constant over the past 30 years. c. increased sharply during the past 10 years. d. has gradually increased due to increases in survival of low birthweight babies. 170
Chapter 12 Children with Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments 171 7. The specific orthopedic condition in which the muscles and the nerves connecting the muscles to the brain are normal but the communication between the brain and muscles is distorted is a. cerebral palsy. b. traumatic brain injury. c. neuralgia. d. nephritis. 8. The type of cerebral palsy that produces a mild to severe exaggerated contraction of muscles when the muscle is stretched is a. dyskinesia. b. spasticity. c. athetosis. d. distonia. 9. The type of cerebral palsy that produces involuntary extraneous motor activity, especially under stress, is a. choreoathetosis. b. ataxia. c. dyskinesia. d. spasticity. 10. Which of the following statements about cerebral palsy is true? a. A combination of types of cerebral palsy is the most common. b. Dyskinesia is the most common type. c. Spasticity is the most common type. d. Ataxia is the most common type. 11. Which of the following is an open spine and/or neural tube defect? a. Cerebral palsy b. Neural folate deficiency c. Spina bifida d. HIV 12. When does spina bifida originate? a. During the preconception period b. During the period of fetal development c. During the birthing process d. Shortly after birth 13. Spina bifida and other neural tube defects have been correlated with a lack of a. prenatal vitamins. b. a specific gene on the X chromosome. c. vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and fresh vegetables, in the diet. d. folic acid, a vitamin found in green vegetables and fresh fruit, in the diet. 14. A disruption in the normal pattern of movement of electricity along the nerve pathways that results in an unorganized burst of electric impulses is called a. spina bifida. b. hydrocephalus. c. electro-disorder syndrome. d. a seizure.
172 Part Three Assessment Materials 15. The precursor to a grand mal seizure that many individuals with epilepsy experience is called a. an aura. b. a halo effect. c. a tonic phase. d. stiffening. 16. Petit mal seizures a. occur most frequently in children between the ages of 12 and 18. b. are very brief, usually lasting between 15 and 30 seconds. c. are clearly recognizable when they occur. d. are also called presence seizures. 17. A condition in which the voluntary muscles of the body are affected by progressive weakness is a. epilepsy. b. muscular dystrophy. c. cystic fibrosis. d. hydrocephaly. 18. Which of the following statements about Duchenne s muscular dystrophy is NOT true? a. It is the most common form of the condition among school-age children. b. It affects males only. c. It is caused by a viral infection during the first trimester of pregnancy. d. No treatment is available for this condition. 19. One of the most common causes of death in children with muscular dystrophy is: a. epileptic seizures. b. malnutrition. c. respiratory failure. d. physical accidents and injury. 20. Which of the following is a congenital malformation? a. Rheumatoid arthritis b. Clubfoot c. Deaf-blindness d. Juvenile cancer 21. Which of the following is considered a traumatic injury? a. Brain damage b. Spina bifida c. Muscular dystrophy d. Spinal cord injury 22. When children return to school after suffering traumatic brain injury, it is recommended that teachers provide a. remedial help in reading and language, but not in math. b. specific instruction in activities of daily living. c. specific routines and a structured environment. d. a computer devoted to the student s use. 23. The effects of a spinal cord injury depends primarily upon the a. age of the child when the injury occurred. b. part of the spine where the injury occurred. c. type of accident that caused the injury. d. child s attitude toward the injury and recovery process.
Chapter 12 Children with Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments 173 24. A chronic obstructive lung condition characterized by an unusual reaction to a variety of stimuli that produce difficulty in breathing, coughing, and so on, is called a. sickle cell anemia. b. asthma. c. cancer. d. lung obstruction syndrome. 25. The most common chronic health impairment in young children in the United States is a. the common cold. b. cystic fibrosis. c. pneumonia. d. asthma. 26. Parents worry about the social and emotional well-being of their children, and report that their greatest concerns for their school-age children with physical disabilities are a. the physical barriers they face. b. the attitude barriers that can result in their child becoming isolated and having low self-esteem. c. the physical pain they may experience during treatment. d. the worsening of their child s condition over time. 27. The disorder of metabolism that is caused by insufficient amounts of insulin in the body of the affected individual is called a. juvenile diabetes. b. anemia. c. cystic fibrosis. d. recessive gene disorder. 28. Prospective parents can be tested to see if they carry the recessive gene responsible for cystic fibrosis. The test: a. is most accurate for individuals of Mediterranean descent. b. is accurate regardless of genetic mutations that might be involved. c. is not accurate for individuals of Northern European descent. d. is most frequently recommended for individuals with a family history of cystic fibrosis. 29. Which of the following conditions can be transmitted from one individual to another? a. Juvenile diabetes b. Epilepsy c. Cystic fibrosis d. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome 30. Which of the following statements about the effects on a child of a physical disability or health impairment is NOT true? a. Even if mobility and communication are not affected, the child s overall energy and motivation may be depleted. b. A health impairment can interfere directly with learning even if cognitive ability is not affected. c. The social and emotional development of children with physical disabilities is not significantly at risk unless there are associated cognitive disabilities as well. d. Attitude is a barrier to communication between individuals with severe physical disabilities and the nondisabled public.
174 Part Three Assessment Materials 31. In the, all interventions are delivered by one or two professionals, thus ensuring continuity for the child. a. multidisciplinary model b. transdisciplinary model c. coordinated intervention model d. unitary model 32. Transdisciplinary curricula for children with physical disabilities and mobility challenges, such as the MOVE curriculum, focus on developing a. functional mobility skills in school and community. b. increased opportunities for rigorous, isolated physical therapy throughout the day. c. adaptive physical education programs for emotional expression through dance movements. d. art-related vocational opportunities. 33. E-books allow children with physical disabilities a. to create stories electronically using publication software. b. to access a network of stories written by other children with physical disabilities. c. to use a single switch to turn pages and follow along with stories read in class. d. to write stories more easily using word prediction software. 34. Traumatic brain injury is a. the most common cause of death and disability in children living in the United States. b. caused by falls, violent shaking by adults, automobile and motorcycle accidents, and violent crimes. c. usually followed by a coma. d. All of the above. 35. Many students with physical disabilities report that they still experience difficulty negotiating the physical school environment. Which of the following is NOT one of the problems they face? a. Accessibility to play equipment, furniture, or educational equipment. b. Uneven surface of floors and walls (carpeting, rugs, or uneven floor surfaces). c. Heavy doors, narrow passageways, the height of lockers, types of locks, and inaccessible recreation equipment. d. All of the above are problems. Multiple-Choice Answer Key 1. b 8. b 15. a 22. c 29. d 2. b 9. c 16. b 23. b 30. c 3. a 10. c 17. b 24. b 31. b 4. c 11. c 18. c 25. d 32. a 5. c 12. a 19. c 26. b 33. c 6. b 13. d 20. b 27. a 34. d 7. a 14. d 21. d 28. d 35. d Essay Questions 36. Explain how diabetes may affect a student in your classroom. Describe the situations/symptoms that you should be aware of that might be warning signals associated with diabetes. 37. How might cognitive abilities be influenced by a lack of mobility that accompanies a physical disability? 38. Describe the steps a teacher should take to integrate a student with physical disabilities into the classroom.
Chapter 12 Children with Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments 175 39. Describe the problems with physical accessibility faced by students with physical disabilities, and make suggestions about how a teacher might address some of these issues. 40. Describe ways in which technology may be used to meet the communication needs of children with physical disabilities. Give specific examples and explain how the technology is used. Essay Rubrics 36. Diabetes is a condition that most teachers will encounter in their career. Students should mention that the disorder is metabolism related, involving blood sugar. They could also discuss proper intervention (continuously monitoring blood sugar). Students with juvenile diabetes can do fairly well in the classroom. Because the condition can have severe consequences if not monitored appropriately, teachers must be aware of the symptoms that might impact negatively on the student with diabetes. Symptoms that might cause alarm for the teacher include fatigue, trouble breathing, skin that feels hot and dry to the touch, and excessive thirst. A diabetic student may also experience a condition of too much insulin, with symptoms of dizziness, faintness, drowsiness, and irritability. 37. An inability to move through one s environment can impact on cognitive development by limiting potential areas of experience. To make up for this, students with physical disabilities need to participate as fully as possible in a wide range of activities and learning contexts. It is extremely important for them to use their existing physical capabilities to the fullest. 38. Students should include the following in their answers: Place students with limited physical movement in the front and center of a traditional classroom. Make sure tables and desks are at an appropriate height for wheelchairs. Make sure all materials can be reached and grasped by the student, or supply a trustworthy assistant. Avoid the use of carpet squares or other materials that may act as a barrier to the wheelchair. Consider major classroom renovations that may be required, particularly in lab settings. Integrate into the classroom routine any assistive technology used for communication. 39. Students with physical disabilities have reported the following problems within the school environment: accessibility to such things as play equipment, furniture, or educational equipment; uneven surface of floors and walls (carpeting, rugs, or uneven floor surfaces); heavy doors, narrow passageways, the height of lockers, types of locks, and accessibility to recreation equipment; and barriers entering school because the ramps were located in the back of the school. It is likely that there are others as well. Among the steps teachers can take to improve accessibility are: Widening aisles between desks. Placing equipment such as computers, tape recorders, and bookshelves appropriately. When planning field trips, call ahead and check to ensure that the visiting site has been adapted to accommodate students with disabilities. If you are taking public transportation, check whether persons in wheelchairs can use the public buses. If not, the student needs to be lifted onto the bus and the wheelchair folded up and carried along. This may present difficulties, particularly with an older student, so advance planning will be necessary. Many other steps are also appropriate and acceptable. 40. Answers could include eye-gazing scanning systems, augmentative communication, digitized speech, synthesized speech, and various computer-based systems, such as the one used by Stephen Hawking.