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Upper Motor Neuron Syndromes
Head Injury
Traumatic brain injury or acquired brain injury occurs when the moving head strikes a stationary object, a moving object strikes the head or an object penetrates the skull. The symptoms that the injured person will experience are entirely dependent upon the site of injury. Accommodations that the individual who has had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) will vary dependent upon the location of damage to the brain and severity of trauma.
Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)
A cerebral vascular accident is when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures flooding the surrounding brain tissue with blood. The degree of damage and loss of function is dependent upon the site of the broken blood vessel. Hemiplegia is a common side effect of CVA. This is when one side of the body is weak. It may involve the entire side of the body, including the eye, mouth, arm and leg. The accommodations required for the individual who has experienced a CVA would be dependent upon the location of the event.
Cerebral Palsy
This is a non-progressive, permanent disorder which typically affects the individual’s muscle tone, movement, balance, and coordination. There are varying degrees of severity. Medications are available to help control some of the aspects of the disorder, such as muscle spasticity and neural involvement. Adaptive equipment such as braces, crutches and wheelchairs aid in ambulation and also help the person to conserve energy. As cerebral palsy varies in degree and severity, the accommodations needed would be specific to the individual. Adaptive technology has aided many students to compete successfully in the academic environment.
Seizure Disorders
Seizures are an episodic, disorderly discharge of nerve cells which create convulsions, sensory disturbances, abnormal behavior and possibly the loss of consciousness. Seizures are usually brief, lasting only a couple of minutes. Depending upon the severity of the seizure disorder, some individuals may experience numerous seizures per day, while others may go weeks or years between episodes. Several different types of behaviors may be noticed in the individual with a seizure disorder. Medication can help to control the disorder, but as with many medications the side effects may cause drowsiness, inability to concentrate and other situations that are disruptive to the thought processes. If the student self identifies, ask what they would like done if they have a seizure in class or on a field trip. See SAFETY and EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES - Seizures
Multiple Sclerosis
This is a chronic neurological disease of the central nervous system. It creates sensory and motor impairment that can cause paralysis and weakness. Multiple sclerosis presents with varying degrees of severity. Multiple sclerosis is known for its unpredictable nature. A course of attacks and remissions is characteristic of the disease. Accommodations will vary according to the systems most significantly affected and may include taped textbooks, scribe / reader and extended testing time, use of on campus transportation or notetaker.