Other Health Impairments

Dolly Duke

Definition: According to federal regulations, the term other health impairment means
having limited strength, vitality or alertness (including a heightened alertness to
environmental stimuli) that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational
environment. Such impairments
(i) Are due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention
deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes,
epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia,
nephritis, rheumatic fever, and sickle cell anemia
(ii) Adversely affects a childs educational performance

Accommodations/Strategies: While there are many health impairments that fall under the
OHI umbrella and no two impairments are exactly the same, there are several universal
accommodations teachers can make to help students with OHIs succeed in the classroom.
These include the following strategies:
Being sympathetic to students individual needs
o Giving students with ADHD frequent breaks or allowing them to go on
errands
o Being flexible on time limits
o Allowing students the freedom to use bathroom/water fountain as needed
o Reducing/modifying assignments when needed
o Creating alternative assignments when students are absent frequently
o Implementing an alternative grading scale when necessary
o Allowing the child to escape an assignment if necessary
o Decreasing distractions
o Allowing for flexible seating
Varying classroom instruction
o Teaching lessons that allow for movement around the room
o Using visuals when teaching
o Incorporating hands-on learning techniques
o Incorporating partner work
o Giving short, concise directions
o Teaching lessons that allow for movement around the room
Building a caring, nurturing classroom environment
o Teaching all students about the health impairment
o Giving frequent, positive feedback
o **Helping the child build on their strengths and successes**

Useful Sources:
http://sogpubs.unc.edu//electronicversions/slb/slbsum02/article2.pdf
This source outlines the criteria that qualify students with OHIs for eligibility under
IDEA. It also incorporates several case studies on students with other health
impairments that were not found eligible for special education services.
http://akuehnel3.tripod.com/id9.html
This source provides several useful strategies and accommodations for teaching
students with OHIs.
http://specialneedshandbook.wikispaces.com/Other+Health+Impairment
This source provides in-depth descriptions and side effects of several health
impairments commonly associated with OHI, as well as a number of
accommodations and adaptations for teachers to implement in the classroom.