SPECIAL EDUCATION LECTURE NOTES

ED127 – EDUCATING EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

MODULE:1: INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL/INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

WEEK:7:TOPIC:7: PREVENTION OF DISABILITIES

BACKGROUND

How the child is treated, loved and cared influence his future life.
Prevention is better than cure. It is better to prevent a disability from developing, than
to try to cure it later. It is important that school children and communities are made aware
of ways in which the causes of disabilities can be prevented. Teachers and nurses have an
important role to play in raising awareness to the community in general. Mothers are the
best people to be involved in programs on the prevention of the causes of disabilities,
especially mothers who have children living with disabilities. To prevent disabilities from
occurring we need to understand the causes. Most of the causes of disabilities are
preventable. There are common and specific causes for certain disabilities.

PREVENTING THE COMMON CAUSES OF DISABILITIES

THE COMMON CAUSES OF CAN BE PREVENTED

DISABILITIES
Poor diet during early pregnancy  Take balance and nutritious diet

Genetic ( marrying close relatives)  Avoid marrying close relatives

Genetic (Pass on)
Exposure of the pregnant mother to some
medicines, poisons, pesticides and other
chemicals
Exposure of the pregnant mother to
German measles (rubella)
Older or very young mothers are more
likely to have babies with birth
conditions such as Down syndrome
Accidents
Injuries (chemical or physical)
Lack or No Immunization
Poor Hygiene
 Stop having any more children
 Avoid marrying that person
 Avoid taking in medicine that will cause harm to
the unborn child
 Avoid coming in contact with poisonous
chemicals that can cause harm.
 Avoid getting sick (rubella)
 Seek medical assistance if your sick
 Go for regular MCH (mother child health)
clinics for check ups and immunization
 Avoid having children when women are very
young ( less than 20yrs)
 Avoid having children if women are older.(35
years and over)
 Avoid accidents (fights) and physical injuries
eg: jumping into the river head first.
 Avoid chemical injuries by wearing safety face
masks and hand cloves while working.
 Pregnant mothers should be immunized
 Young babies should be immunized.
 Practice positive personal hygiene and living.

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Disabilities can occur in three different stages in life so it so be prevented at these stages
STAGES IN WHICH DISABILITIES CAN
OCCUR IN LIFE
Before Birth
The mother becoming sick during pregnancy
The mother being involved in drugs
The mother having poor food or doing too
much hard work
Disability being passed on through the family
(inherited)
When the mother and father’s cells cause a
disability to happen (bio-chemical imbalance
Attempt abortion but unsuccessful can affect
the child’s growth and development in the
womb ( drinking bleach/ashes, ginger etc)
During Birth
If it is not born where the mother can get help
from a nurse or midwife
If the baby is born in unclean surroundings
If the baby is born too early (pre-mature)
If the baby’s birth is very difficult ( pro-long
labor)
If the mother and baby are very sick
After Birth
Sickness ( malaria, TB meningitis etc )
Accidents (head injuries, spinal cord injuries,
knife wounds, chemical trauma etc)
Poor food – poor diet
Unclean living conditions
Poor personal hygiene
HOW IT SHOULD BE PREVENTED
 Avoid being sick
 Seek medical assistance if your sick
 Avoid taking in drugs
 Take balance meal every day
 Avoid doing too much hard work
 Have enough sleep and rest
 Avoid marrying close relatives or someone
who carries the genes
 Avoid conditions that would allow bio-
chemical imbalance to occur. eg make babies
when your reproductive systems are normal
not contaminated with other chemicals/drugs.
 Avoid attempt abortion
 Go to the health center o hospital where the
pregnant mother can get help for safe
childbirth
 Make sure the place is clean and safe for the
mother to give birth in a village setting.
 Avoid giving birth to pre-mature babies. Eg.
Underweight babies from smoking mothers.
 Go for regular MCH clinics so that the baby
and the mother’s conditions be checked before
birth to avoid birth complications.
 Avoid being sick-stay healthy
 Seek medical assistance as soon as the baby is
sick
 Make sure the baby is being immunized
 Avoid activities that would cause accidents
 Mother and the baby should have balance
meal that contain sufficient vitamins and
minerals for the body.
 Have clean and safe environment
 Practice positive and healthy personal hygiene
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These are very practical and so called little things we can do to prevent disabilities from
happening. However, in most cases it is due to:
 Lack of awareness on the causes and effects the disability can has on someone’s life .
 Lack of skills / information and knowledge people should have to prevent disabilities
 Negative attitudes towards personal health and positive living
 Ignorance
 The traditional beliefs and cultural practices we have and grew up in.
 Church doctrines that can influence the way we behave and do things
 The changes in our lifestyles
 The working conditions for those who work in offices, factories etc
Most of our people lack health education. As teachers we need to educate the children and
communities on how to look after themselves.

PREVENTING SPECIFIC DISABILITIES.

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

PROPOSED
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Brain damage (before
birth, during birth or after
birth )
Biochemical imbalance
Hereditary predisposition
Environmental factors
Visual problems
Hearing impairment
Quality and type of
instruction given
Teacher’s expectations
PREVENTION
Avoid conditions that will cause brain damage
Avoid conditions that will cause bio chemical imbalance eg.
Colorings from certain manufactured store food used in factories.
Avoid conditions that cause hereditary predisposition eg. Marrying
someone whose IQ is very low.
Advice children and parents on conditions that contribute to
disturbances on children’s learning and impose strategies for
implementation to overcome learning difficulties in children
Provide assistive devices that can support learning for children with
visual impairment eg. reading glasses
Use large print for low vision
Provide assistive devices that can support learning for children with
hearing impairment. Eg hearing aids.
Use simple and relevant teaching strategies with effective teaching
aids.
Set clear realistic goals for achievement

Relevance of the school Based on individual needs

work to the student
Classroom environment Conducive for learning
Manner in which the Positive
teacher treats the student
Appropriateness of At the level of their understanding. Relevant to their developmental
curriculum stage.

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INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

PROPOSED POSSIBLE CAUSES PREVENTION

Often the cause is unknown
Sometimes there is a mistake in the Avoid circumstances that would lead to
chromosomes or in the tiny chemical messages causing complications in the child’s growth
that determine what the child will be like and development
( inheritance)
Brain damage either before birth, during birth Avoid brain damages
or after birth

HEARING IMPAIRMENT

POSSIBLE CAUSES PREVENTION

Ear Diseases Look after the ears
Seek medical advice as soon as possible
Trauma – chemical trauma Avoid accidents that causes trauma
- physical trauma
Loud noise Avoid loud noise
Heredity Avoid marrying someone who carries the
genes
Pregnancy or birth problems Attend regular MCH clinics for check ups
Ototoxic drugs Avoid taking in harmful drugs. Always seek
medical advice before taking harmful drugs
Childhood diseases Look after children well and prevent them
from getting sick.

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

POSSIBLE CAUSES PREVENTION

Eye disease & infection Look after the eyes
Pregnancy or problems during birth – sick Check for regular medical check up and seek
gonorrhoea medical assistance
Trauma – chemical Avoid accidents that causes trauma
- physical
Refractive errors – long sighted Go for proper check to obtain reading or
- short sighted distance glasses from an eye clinic
Old age (cataract) Go for surgery
Lack of vitamin A Take in sufficient vitamin A from food or
tablets.

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SPEECH IMPAIRMENT
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Physical problems – cleft lips
-cleft palate
Delayed speech
BEHAVIOUR AND EMOTIONAL DIFFICULTIES OR DISORDERS
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Effects from other disabilities
Strict family background
Bad experiences – abuses etc
Being favorite in family
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
POSSIBLE CAUSES
Violence and accidents
Birth defects (congenital)
Virus and Bacterial Infections
Injuries – sports
- natural disasters
Genetic Hereditary
Malnutrition
Severe malaria
Old age
PREVENTION
 Avoid conditions that cause
deformations.
 Surgery to correct deformities
 Encourage the child to make clear
sounds that will later form speeches
PREVENTION
Avoid disabilities from contributing to
behavior and emotional problems
Encourage positive behavior change in
discipline and not to be very strict
Look after children properly
Fair treatment
PREVENTION
Avoid violence and accidents
Avoid conditions that leads to birth defects
 Live in clean environment
 Seek medical assistance when your
sick as soon as possible
Avoid accidents
 Avoid marrying someone with the
genes
 Avoid marrying close relatives
Balance diet
 Use mosquito nets
 Seek medical assistance as soon as the
child is sick
Do regular exercises
Balance meal
Avoid serious illness
Seek medical assistance for any complications