Download An Overview of Disabilities - UCP Central PA Education and Training

Understanding the
Disabilities of Participants
CONNECTIONS TO INDEPENDENCE
Objective
This presentation is designed to give you an overview of many
different disabilities you may encounter during your contact
with consumers. It is not meant to be an in-depth look at
various disabilities. Disabilities included in this presentation
are:
ALS
Cerebral Palsy
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Osteoporosis
Stroke
Depression
Anoxic Brain Injury
COPD
Huntington’s Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Para/Quadriplegia
Traumatic Brain Injury
Schizophrenia
Asperger’s
Diabetes
IDD
Muscular Dystrophy
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Anxiety Disorder
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS
(Lou Gehrig’s disease)
 ALS is a progressive disease in which the nerve cells that






control voluntary muscle movement gradually deteriorate,
leading to muscle weakness and eventual paralysis.
ALS is rare, usually diagnosed between 35-70
Cause is not known
Symptoms: weakness begins in hands, then progresses up the
arm. Can also begin in feet and progress up legs. Muscle
cramps, spasms, and tremors. Does not affect mental
function, the senses, bowel and bladder function, or eye
muscles.
ALS is a fatal disease, caused by weakened respiratory and
swallowing muscles. Most likely cause of death is aspiration.
No cure, although there are medicines taken early in the
disease can slow the progression.
Emotional support is extremely important because it is
difficult to maintain a positive outlook in the face of ALS.
Anoxic Brain Injury
 Brain cells begin to die when oxygen levels are significantly low for four





minutes. After five minutes permanent anoxic brain injury can occur.
Term anoxic means total lack. Greater the lack of oxygen, more widespread and serious the injury.
Common causes: respiratory arrest, electrical shock, drowning, heart
attack, brain tumors, extreme low blood pressure, carbon monoxide
inhalation, etc.
Symptoms: loss of consciousness or coma, wakeful unresponsiveness,
cognitive problems, short term memory loss, difficulty using and/or
processing words, lack of coordination, inability to do common tasks,
headaches.
Chances of recovery may be minimal. If moderate, may have a better
outcome but will take months or years. People with the mild form may
live near normal lives with almost full recovery.
Love and emotional support vital during the rehabilitation phase.
Asperger’s Syndrome
 A developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to




socialize and communicate effectively with others
Doctor’s group Asperger's Syndrome with other conditions
that are called autistic spectrum disorders or pervasive
developmental disorders.
Asperger’s Syndrome is generally thought to be at the milder
end of this spectrum
Symptoms, engaging in one-sided, long-winded
conversations, displaying unusual nonverbal
communication, showing an intense obsession with
subjects, appearing not to understand, empathize with or
be sensitive to others’ feelings, having a hard time “reading”
other people, speaking in a voice that is monotonous,
moving clumsily, may experience depression or anxiety.
Treatment: communication and social skills training,
cognitive behavioral therapy, medication
Cerebral Palsy
 Cerebral palsy, also referred to as CP, is used to describe a group of chronic





conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. It is not genetic.
It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually during
fetal development; before, during, or shortly after birth; or during infancy.
Thus, these disorders are not caused by problems in the muscles or nerves.
Instead, faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain disrupt the
brain's ability to adequately control movement and posture.
Is not a cognitive disability.
Cerebral palsy is not "curable" in the accepted sense, training and therapy can
help improve function.
Cerebral palsy is characterized by an inability to fully control motor function,
particularly muscle control and coordination.
"Management" is a better word than "treatment." Management consists of
helping the child achieve maximum potential in growth and development. This
should be started as early as possible with identification.
Certain medications, surgery, and braces may be used to improve nerve and
muscle coordination and prevent or minimize dysfunction.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
 COPD is a common disease of the lungs affecting millions of
Americans.
 Stages and Symptoms:
 Mild: patient unaware that lung function is starting to decline
 Moderate: shortness of breath develops during exertion
 Severe: shortness of breath worsens, increased cough and sputum
production, wheezing, chest tightening
 Very severe: quality of life may be impaired, symptoms may
become life threatening.
 Causes: active or passive smoking major cause. Exposure to other
irritants and pollution can cause COPD.
 Treatment: There is no treatment to cure COPD, treatment aims to
ease symptoms and improve quality of life. Medications such as
bronchodilators, and steroids, chest therapy, antibiotics and
possibly supplemental oxygen are used. If patient lives a healthy
lifestyle, quits smoking and avoids pollutants, can function
relatively well with few limitations.
Diabetes
 Diabetes is a condition where Insulin is not doing its job. Insulin is a hormone
made by the Pancreas in response to high blood sugars. The body breaks down
food into sugar and insulin allows it to enter the cells in the body to be used as
energy.

Three main types:
 Type 1: the body attacks the insulin producing cells, making a person unable to
produce insulin. Need to inject insulin to stay healthy.
 Type 2: body has trouble using the insulin it makes or the body cannot make enough
insulin. Can be controlled with diet, exercise, pills or insulin.
 Gestational: caused by changes in hormones during pregnancy and usually
disappears after delivery.
 Symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes: Increased thirst, increased urination,
weight loss in spite of increased appetite, fatigue, nausea and/or vomiting,
blurred vision, slow healing infections.
 When blood glucose is poorly managed over long periods of time, the blood vessels
in multiple tissues throughout the body start to show abnormal functioning and can
even undergo structural changes. These changes often result in an inadequate blood
supply reaching the tissue, and depending on which type of tissue is affected can
lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, retinopathy, blindness, and occasionally
gangrene of the limbs. Complications can also involve the peripheral nerves and the
autonomic nervous system which can result in heart arrhythmia, impaired bladder
control, decreased sensation in the extremities and a number of other symptoms
associated with peripheral nerve damage.
Fibromyalgia
 Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder that causes widespread




pain and tenderness in the muscles and soft tissue as well as
sleep problems and fatigue.
It is a syndrome of chronic pain, not a disease or a
psychological disorder.
Symptoms: along with pain, fatigue, and sleep problems, can
also include headaches, morning stiffness, difficulty
concentrating, and IBS. Anxiety and depression are common.
May have flares and remissions.
Can only be diagnosed when other conditions are ruled out.
There are no tests that can confirm it.
Although there is no cure, it can be somewhat controlled and
does not damage the muscles, joints or internal organs.
Huntington’s Disease
 Huntington’s disease is a genetic disorder passed down





through families in which nerve cells in certain parts of the
brain waste away or degenerate.
The most common form of Huntington’s is adult-onset which
occurs typically in mid 30’s and 40’s.
Symptoms include: behavioral changes, abnormal and
unusual movements and dementia that slowly gets worse.
Other symptoms include anxiety, stress and tension, difficulty
swallowing and speech impairment.
No cure for this disease and no known way to stop the disease
from getting worse. Some medications may slow the
symptoms of the disease.
Depression and suicide are common.
As the disease progresses the person will need assistance and
may eventually require 24 hour care.
Huntington’s Disease cont.
The progression of HD after a person is diagnosed can be divided into
five (flexible) stages:
Early Stage - the person is diagnosed as having HD and can function fully both at home
and work.
Early Intermediate Stage - the person remains employable but at a lower capacity. They
are still able to manage their daily affairs despite some
difficulties.
Late Intermediate Stage - the person can no longer work and/or manage household
responsibilities. They need considerable help or supervision to handle daily financial
affairs. Other daily activities may be slightly difficult but usually only require minor help.
Early Advanced Stage - the person is no longer independent in daily activities but is still
able to live
at home supported by their family or professional careers.
Advanced Stage - the person with HD requires complete support in daily activities and
professional nursing care is usually needed. People with HD usually die about 15 to 20 years
after their symptoms first appear. The cause of death is not the disease itself but
complications such as pneumonia, heart failure or infection developing from the body's
weakened condition.
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
 There are five different types of developmental disabilities.

Cerebral Palsy:



Autism:



Epilepsy or Seizure Disorders are characterized by recurrent seizures.
The stereotypical, or grand mal seizure is just one of many types.
Other neurological disorders:


Characterized by extreme withdrawal, language disturbance, difficulty in forming
affective ties, frequent lack of responsiveness to other people, monotonously
repetitive motor behaviors, an inappropriate response to external stimuli, an
obsessive urge for the maintenance of sameness and/or impaired intellectual
capacities.
Epilepsy:


A developmental disability that occurs during or shortly after birth.
Characterized by permanent motor impairment.
May consist of traumatic brain injury, Tourette’s syndrome, Prader Willi syndrome,
specific learning disabilities, and a variety of other disorders.
Intellectual Disability:


Characterized by significant sub-average intellectual functioning with substantial
limitations in adaptive skill areas
Four levels: Mild, Moderate, Severe, Profound
Lupus
 Lupus is a lifelong disorder of the immune system. Immune
cells attack the body’s own healthy tissues, leading to
inflammation and tissue damage.
 Symptoms: joint pain, butterfly rash, nail change, fever and
fatigue, light sensitivity, hair loss, Raynaud’s phenomenon
(fingers and toes become painful, numb, and tingly in
response to cold temperatures or emotional stress).
 Treatment: corticosteroid creams for rashes and NSAIDS for
joint pain and fever. People with severe lupus may benefit
from drugs that suppress the immune system.
 Depression and anxiety are a risk for people with lupus due to
the affect on the nervous system and the emotional strain of
dealing with a chronic illness.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
 MS is a chronic disease that damages the nerves in
the spinal cord and the brain, as well as the optic
nerves. The body’s own immune system attacks
these nerves.
 Symptoms: weakness or numbness, vision problems,
speech problems, mild memory loss, loss of bladder
control, and fatigue.
 MS is a progressive disorder.
 Medications, pain management, and physical
therapy are all used to treat MS
Muscular Dystrophy
 Muscular dystrophy is the term used to describe a group of
inherited disorders that cause progressive muscle weakness. It is
caused by genetic defects.
 Nine types:






Becker MD: affects older boys and young men. Causes progressive muscle
weakness usually beginning in the legs.
Congenital MD: a rare form present at birth. Symptoms progress slowly
and include general weakness, flaccid tone, bent joints, slow motor
development.
Distal MD: symptoms begin in middle age or later. Causes weakness in the
muscles of the feet and hands.
Duchenne MD: most severe form. Affects young boys and causes progress
weakness, usually beginning in the legs.
Emery-Dreifuss MD: Affects young boys, causes muscle contractions in
the calves, weakness in the calves, shoulders and upper arms and problems
in the way electrical impulses travel through the heart to make it beat.
Facioscpulohumeral MD: also know as Landouzy-Dejerine disease,
begins in late childhood to early adulthood. Affects both males and females.
Causes weakness in the muscles of the face, shoulders and upper arms. May
also affect the hips and legs.
Muscular Dystrophy cont.
 Nine types cont.



Limb-girdle MD: Begins in late childhood to early adulthood. Affects
males and females. Causes weakness in the muscles around the upper legs
and shoulders.
Myotonic dystrophy: Also know as Steinert’s disease. Symptoms may
begin any time from birth through adulthood. Affects males and females.
Generalized weakness first occurs in the face, hands and feet. People with
this disease also have myotonia, the failure of the muscles to relax normally
after use.
Oculopharyngeal MD: Affects adults of both sexes. Cause weakness in
the eye muscles and throat.
 Treatment: there is no known cure. Treatment is centered on
physical and occupational therapy. Surgery may be necessary
to correct severe contractures, compensate for shoulder
weakness, lift eyelids that are affected, correct scoliosis and to
keep the airways open in cases of sleep apnea.
Brittle Bone Disease (Osteoporosis)
 Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become
weak and brittle. If left unchecked it can progress
painlessly until a bone breaks. Any bone can break
but fractures of the spine, hips and wrists are of
special concern.
 Symptoms: severe back pain, loss of height, with
stooped posture, fracture of the vertebrae, wrists,
hips or other bones.
 Treatment includes: nutrition, smoking cessation,
exercise, dietary supplements, hormone replacement
therapy and medications.
Paraplegia and Quadriplegia
 Paraplegia: complete paraplegia is a term used to describe complete and
permanent loss of ability to send sensory and motor nerve impulses to the muscle
groups and body functions that are controlled by nerves leaving the spinal column.
 Incomplete paraplegia: refers to a spinal cord injury in which some feeling or
movement is still evident below the point of injury.
 Quadriplegia: cervical injuries usually result in four limb paralysis, Injuries above
the C-4 level may require a ventilator or electrical implant for the person to
breathe. Quadriplegia is more debilitating than paraplegia as the arms are
paralyzed too.
 The extent of the injury is important. A complete severing of the spinal cord will
result in complete loss of function from that vertebra down. A partial severing or
even bruising of the spinal cord results in varying degrees of mixed function and
paralysis. A common misconception with quadriplegia is that the victim cannot
move legs, arms or any of the major functions; this is often not the case. Some can
walk and use their hands, as though they did not have a spinal cord injury, while
others may use wheelchairs and they can still have function of their arms and mild
finger movement, again, that varies on the spinal cord damage.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
 RA is a chronic disease. Symptoms can come and go
and each person with RA is affected differently.
Some people have long periods of remission, others
may have near-constant RA symptoms for months at
a time.
 Symptoms: stiffness, swelling, redness and warmth,
and pain of the joints, fatigue, malaise, loss of
appetite leading to weight loss, muscle aches.
 Treatment: may include medications, injections,
joint exercises, rest, and surgery.
Stroke
 Types of stroke:



Ischemic stroke: caused by a blockage of a blood vessel that supplies
blood to the brain.
Hemorrhagic stroke: caused by a rupture or hemorrhage in a blood
vessel.
Brain stem stroke: A person may have vertigo, dizziness and severe
imbalance without the hallmark of most strokes – weakness on one side of
the body. The symptoms of vertigo dizziness or imbalance usually occur
together; dizziness alone is not a sign of stroke. Brain stem stroke can also
cause double vision, slurred speech and decreased level of consciousness.
This type of stroke can result in death, since the damaged brainstem can no
longer control the body’s vital functions
 Symptoms: include sudden onset of numbness, weakness or paralysis of the
face, arm or leg, typically on one side of the body, trouble seeing in one or
both eyes, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble walking,
dizziness, loss of balance or coordination or a severe headache.
 Use FAST (face, arm, speech and time) to determine possibility of a stroke.
 Treatment: Immediate treatment is needed to: Dissolve or remove a clot
(for ischemic stroke) Stop bleeding (for hemorrhagic stroke), this may
include medications and/or surgery.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
 A TBI may range from a mild concussion to a severe head
injury. It is caused by a blow to the head or body, a fall
or another injury that jars or shakes the brain. This can
cause bruising, swelling or tearing of the brain tissue.
 Symptoms: may include not thinking clearly or having
trouble remember new information, having headaches,
vision problems or dizziness, feeling sad, nervous or
easily angered and sleeping more or less than usual.
 If your brain has been damaged, you may need treatment
and rehabilitation perhaps on a long-term basis. This
might include physical and occupational therapy, speech
and language therapy, counseling, social support and
support groups and medicines to help relieve sleep
problems, chronic pain, headaches, anxiety, depression
or memory problems.
Anxiety Disorder
 Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences
at times. Anxiety disorder is different. It can cause such
distress that it interferes with a person’s ability to lead a
normal life. It is a serious mental illness and for people with
anxiety disorder, worry and fear are constant and
overwhelming.
 Symptoms include: feelings of panic, fear and uneasiness,
obsessive thoughts, flashbacks of traumatic experiences,
nightmares, problems sleeping, shortness of breath,
palpitations, numbness or tingling in hands or feet, nausea,
muscle tension and dizziness.
 Anxiety disorder is not the result of personal weakness, a
character flaw or poor upbringing. Many mental illness are
caused by changes in the brain and environmental stress.
 Treatment: Medication, psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral
therapy, dietary and lifestyle changes and relaxation therapy.
Depression
 Sadness or downswings in mood are normal reactions to life’s
struggles. Depression is much more than this. Some people
describe it as living in a black hole or having a feeling of
impending doom.
 Symptoms: feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, loss of
interest in daily activities, appetite or weight changes, sleep
changes, anger or irritability, loss of energy, self-loathing,
reckless behavior, concentration problems and unexplained
aches and pains.
 Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. The deep despair
that goes along with depression can make suicide seem like
the only escape.
 Treatment can include: making healthy lifestyle changes,
building emotional skills, and if support from family and
friends isn’t working, seeking professional help. Effective
treatments can include medication and therapy.
Schizophrenia
 Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder that distorts the way a




person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, perceives reality and
relates to others.
It is the most chronic and disabling of the major mental illnesses
and people with this disorder have problems functioning in society,
at work, at school, and in relationships.
It is a life-long disease that cannot be cured but usually can be
controlled with proper treatment.
Symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, catatonia, using nonsense
words, shifting quickly from one thought to the next, moving slowly,
unable to make decisions, forgetting or losing things, writing
excessively without meaning, pacing or walking in circles, having
problems making sense of everyday sights, sounds and feelings.
Also may have lack of emotion, reduced energy and reduced speech,
lack of motivation, loss of pleasure and poor grooming.
Treatment: medications such as antipsychotics, psychosocial
therapy, and hospitalization
Contact Information
If you have any questions, would like more
information or come across a disability that was not
covered during this training please contact the
Education and Quality Manager at:
717-737-3477 ext. 363