Nervous System Disorders

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is caused by an injury to the motor center of the brain, which may have occurred before, during or shortly after birth. Manifestations may include involuntary muscle contractions, rigidity, spasms, poor coordination, poor balance or poor spatial relations. Visual, auditory, speech, hand-function, and mobility problems might occur. Specific accommodations are covered in the sections on visual, hearing, motor, and speech impairments.

Closed Head Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Students with closed head injuries have often been injured in an accident that caused damage to the brain. Although the severity and symptoms of a head injury may lessen over time, permanent damage is common. These students often exhibit one or more of the following symptoms: short-term memory problems, serious attention deficits, behavior problems, problems in judgment, serious anxiety attacks, mobility impairments, and/or seizures. Because information processing speed is often effected, additional exam time and a notetaker are commonly used accommodations.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease of the central nervous system, characterized by a decline of muscle control. Symptoms may include disturbances ranging from mild to severe: blurred vision, legal blindness, tremors, weakness or numbness in limbs, unsteady gait, paralysis, slurred speech, mood swings or attention deficits. Because the onset of the disease usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40, students are likely to be having difficulty adjusting to their condition.

Multiple sclerosis is highly unpredictable. Periodic remissions are common and may last from a few days to several months, as the disease continues to progress. As a result, mood swings may vary from euphoria to depression. Striking inconsistencies in performance are not unusual.

Seizure Disorders/Epilepsy

A seizure may be defined as an episode of abnormal motor, sensory, autonomic, or psychic activity (or a combination of these) as a consequence of sudden excessive electrical discharge from cerebral neurons (LipRincott Manual of Practical Nursing, 4th Edition). Such seizures may consist of only a brief suspension of activity (petit mal) automatic motor activity or complex alterations of behavior, psychomotor; or a full-blown generalized motor seizure, grand mal. Other than the occasional seizure, persons with this disorder generally look and function like everyone else but may experience some memory dysfunction. The educational potential for persons who have seizure disorders is considered to be good and is not diminished if seizures are well controlled unless serious memory deficits exist.

Student with a seizure disorder may exhibit problems in one or more of the following areas:

• Brief lapses of consciousness or "staring spells" causing disruptions in the learning process
• Side effects from anticonvulsant medication resulting in slowed reactions, clumsiness and poor hand coordination, eye focusing difficulty, and flatness of affect
• Increased absences if grand mal seizures are not medically well controlled
• Memory deficits due to complex partial seizures or temporal lobe epilepsy
• Clouded thinking caused by chronic seizure disorders and effects of medication

General Techniques:

• Learn what to do when a Grand Mal seizure occurs.
• Allow for absences related to recovery from Grand Mal seizures.
• Recognize effects of medication on performance and allow extra time for exams and completion of class activities.

Seizure Aid:

• Remain calm and reassure other students.
• Call an ambulance when another seizure follows the first (within half an hour or so) or when a seizure state persists for a prolonged period of time (one-half hour). These conditions require prompt medical attention.
• Ease the student to the floor and remove objects which may injure the student.
• Do not attempt to stop the seizure nor interfere with the student's movements. Let the seizure run its course.
• Never try to place any object in the mouth. Turn the head or body to the side to prevent the tongue from slipping to the back of the throat interfering with breathing.
• Do not attempt to revive a student who may turn pale, have irregular breathing, or stop breathing. Seizure activity will diminish and they will breathe regularly on their own. Be supportive and reassure the student that you are there to help them.
• Allow the student who has experienced a grand mal seizure to rest and check their condition frequently (the student will usually be disoriented and extremely tired).
• Do not give food or drink unless seizure activity has passed.
• Check with the Registrar or DSS to find out who should be notified in case of emergencies. If possible, it may be best for the student to go home.