Module 3 growing up-adolescence(new community life)

Module 4 meeting special needs

Dyslexia autism deaf-blind

Epilepsy Duchenne Down syndrome

Facing the challenge

Heading for inclusion

Module 5 growing old

Mod.6 growing old

Mod.7 hot issues

Mod.8 looking into the job

Growing into old age

Vedere learning disorders(dysgraphia) p.176-179

Dcd(180-182)OK

Integrare autism p.184-190 OK

Down syndrome p.191-194 OK

Epilepsy OK 194-196

________________________________________________________________________________

0. Dyslexia

Glossary:

low achiever= incapace syn=slow achievers learning disability/disorder=disturbo dell’apprendimento clue=indizio evidence=prova backwards=al rovescio/all’indietro upside down=sottosopra reversed=invertito/a rovescio jumble=alla rinfusa/in disordine to sound out=pronunciare weak spelling skills=deboli/scarse capacità di ortografia

poor hand-eye coordination=scarsa coordinazione oculo-manuale/occhio-mano to affect=colpire to perceive=percepire to process=elaborare trained professional=professionista qualificato

(Learning disability: dyslexia….)

Dyslexia affects how a child perceives and processes words,numbers and symbols.

Signs:

the child perceives the letters of a word backwards,upside down or reversed; words or letters are written in a jumble manner; difficulty in sounding out words,weak spelling skills,problems remembering new words, poor hand-eye coordination and difficulty comprehending what is read.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmBg_BvDL-c

1. AutismAutism is a complex developmental disability that usually appears during the first 3 years of life. The result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain (4 times more prevalent in boys than girls).Autism affects the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills (children and adults with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interaction, and leisure or play activities.) [The disorder makes it harder for them to communicate with others and relate to the outside world.]Aggressive and /or self-injurious behaviour may be present;People with autism may exhibit repeated body movements (hand flapping, rocking) or unusual responses to people.They are more sensitive in the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste)

http://www.autismtopics.org/t6%20autism%20symptoms.html

Autism (growing into old age p.184-190)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that typically appears during the first 3 years of life. It affects social interaction, communication ,interests and behaviour. In the UK about 1 in every 100 people has ASD (more boys). Autistic people find difficult to communicate with others and the outside world; the unusual behaviour in people with autism can be repeated: body movements, unusual attachment to objects and resistance to changes in routine. ASD includes Asperger syndrome, with some differences : children with Asperger’s syndrome can have good language skills but they lack the sense of humour, they have got an above average intelligence, but they have motor skill delays and don’t know how to interact with others (while autistic children seem detached and uninterested).

The causes of ASD are unknown, perhaps there are genetic and environmental factors:

Genetic factors: genetic mutations Environmental f: during pregnancy e.g. alcohol or medications Neurological f.: problems with the development of the brain and nervous system (e.g.

interest in train timetables) Other health conditions.

The symptoms:

Delayed speech development Not responding to their name being called Speaking in pre-learned phrases Reluctant to obey Little interest in interaction The lack of gestures/facial expressions Lack of eye-contact Repetitive movements They prefer routine Specific interest in a particular subject

Treatment

ADS is not curable, but a range of educational and behavioural support programmes can help. Treatment often involves a team of different specialists, “multidisciplinary team”: a pediatrician, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist, and an occupational therapist who prepares a personalized plan. Main treatments:

o Social-communication programso Applied behaviour analysis (ABA): to break down communication and cognitive skills into

small tasks and teaching those tasks in a highly structured wayo Treatment and education of autistic and related communication handicapped children

(TEACCH): to present structured learning by using visual prompts

o Parent education and training: to help parents to support their childo Speech and language therapy (SLT): to improve child’s language skills and their ability to

interact with others sociallyo Picture exchange communication system (PECS), e.g. Makaton1

o Psychological treatments, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): to talk to a therapist about thoughts and feelings

o Medication: to treat some of the related symptoms or conditions.

Alternative treatments

music therapy: musical improvisation could represent a sort of non-verbal common language that could facilitate both verbal and non-verbal patients to reach communication; children with ASD respond better to music, the use of song could help to understand emotionauditory integration training (AIT): some people with autism are hypersensitive or hyposensitive to certain frequencies of soundsensory integration therapy (SIT): the use of recreation activities to modulate how the brain responds to sight, touch, sound and movementdrama therapy: to promote the development of social skillsdance therapy: it uses mirroring of movementsacupuncture (AP):a form of traditional Chinese medicine, it consists in placing needles in the skin and near tissues in specific points (“acupuncture points”)massage: the touch to treat sensory impairment and reduce anxietyyoga: a movement therapy to improve behavioural problems (and anxietydance, music therapy)pet therapy: the animals, with their predictable and repetitive behaviours could help to interpret social signalschiropractic care: treatment of disorders of the nervous and/or musculoskeletal system maintaining a unique focus on spinal manipulation and treatment of surrounding structures.

Adults living with autism

A range of supporting services:

1Il Makaton è un linguaggio progettato per fornire un mezzo di comunicazione alle persone che non possono comunicare in modo efficiente parlando. Il linguaggio Makaton è efficacemente utilizzato con individui che hanno disturbi cognitivi, autismo, sindrome di Down, disturbo specifico del linguaggio, compromissione multisensoriale e disturbi neurologici acquisiti che hanno influenzato negativamente la capacità di comunicare, compresi i pazienti con ictus. Il nome "Makaton" deriva dai nomi di tre persone: Margaret Walker, logopedista e ricercatrice che ha progettato il Makaton, e due visitatori degli ospedali psichiatrici, di nome Katharine Johnston e Tony Cornforth, che hanno assistito l'Associazione Reale per le persone sorde. Il Programma di Lingua Makaton utilizza un approccio multimodale per insegnare lingua e l'alfabetizzazione, attraverso una combinazione di parole, i segni, e simboli grafici utilizzati in concomitanza o soltanto con il parlato con i segni, o soltanto con il parlato con simboli grafici, in funzione delle esigenze dell'individuo da seguire. Si tratta di un vocabolario di circa 450 concetti che vengono insegnati in un ordine specifico (ci sono 8 diversi stadi). Ad esempio, la fase 1 prevede l'insegnamento di vocaboli per i bisogni immediati, come "mangiare" e "bere". Fasi successive contengono vocaboli più complessi e astratti come il tempo e le emozioni. Una volta che la comunicazione di base è stata stabilita, lo studente può progredire nell'uso del linguaggio. Inoltre, anche se il programma è organizzato in più fasi, può essere modificato e adattato alle esigenze individuali.

social learning programmes leisure activity programmes e.g. games, exercise, going to the cinema or theatre with a

group of people skills for daily living programmes e.g. eating and washing.

It can be difficult for people with ASD to find a job, because of noise in work environment, or stress in travelling to work. Sudden changes in routine can disturb them. Despite everything, people with ASD are often accurate, reliable, and have got a good eye for detail. It can be difficult for people with ASD to find a job, because of noise in work environment, or stress in travelling to work.

2. Deaf-blind

Deafblindness is the condition of little or no useful sight and little or no useful hearing. Educationally, individuals are considered to be deaf-blind when the combination of their hearing and sight loss causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they require significant and unique adaptations in their educational programs. Helen Keller was one such individual.

Deafblind people communicate in many different ways as determined by the nature of their condition, the age of onset, and what resources are available to them. For example, someone who grew up deaf and experienced vision loss later in life is likely to use a sign language (in a visually modified or tactile form). Others who grew up blind and later became deaf are more likely to use a tactile mode of their spoken/written language. Methods of communication include:

Use of residual hearing (speaking clearly, hearing aids) or sight (signing within a restricted visual field, writing with large print).

Tactile signing, sign language, or a manual alphabet such as the American Manual Alphabet or Deaf-blind Alphabet (also known as "two-hand manual") with tactile or visual modifications.

Interpreting services (such as sign language interpreters or communication aides). Communication devices such as Tellatouch or its computerized versions known as the

TeleBraille and Screen Braille Communicator.

Multisensory methods have been used to help deafblind people enhance their communication skills. These can be taught to very young children with developmental delays (to help with pre-intentional communication), young people with learning difficulties, and older people, including those with dementia. One such process is Tacpac.

Deafblind amateur radio operators generally communicate on 2-way radios using Morse code

Braille equipment includes a variety of multipurpose devices, which enhance access to distance communication. Some can be used as stand-alone devices connected via Wi-Fi, while others are paired with a mobile device to provide tactile access to e-mail, text messaging, and other modern communication resources. To receive Braille equipment, an eligible consumer must be proficient in Braille and must have access to the Internet or cellular service.

The Telebraille does not have a computer communications modem but does have a TTY (TDD) modem. It was designed as a TTY for deaf-blind people and is also useful for face-to-face conversation. It has two components. The sighted component is a modified SuperCom TTY device.

It has a qwerty keyboard and a single-line LED display. The display is regular size and is not particularly suited to people with low vision. The SuperCom TTY can be connected directly to the telephone line using a conventional telephone jack or the telephone receiver can be coupled to the SuperCom on a cradle on top of the device. Text flows past the display in a continuous stream, like tickertape. The SuperCom is connected to the Braille portion of the device by a cable that is about two feet long. The Braille display is about 15 characters in width, although there is a knockout to allow additional characters to be installed, at considerable additional cost. The Telebraille is able to communicate in ASCII mode but is not compatible with conventional computer modems. There is what looks like a RS-232 socket on the back of the Braille component, but the instructions for the Telebraille state that this jack is for "future use" and that no computer devices should be attached to it.

A graphic Braille display can be used in sensing graphic data such as maps, images, and text data that require multiline display capabilities such spreadsheets and equations. Graphic Braille displays available in the market are DV-2 (from KGS), Hyperbraille,and TACTISPLAY Table/Walk (from Tactisplay Corp.). For example, TACTISPLAY Tablecan show 120*100 resolution refreshable Braille graphics on one page.

/Per sordocecità si intende quella condizione patologica che combina, in varie misure, la cecità e la sordità. I sordociechi sperimentano gravi problemi di comunicazione e di mobilità, maggiori anche delle persone solamente cieche o sorde.I sordociechi riescono a comunicare in diversi modi che dipendono dalla natura della loro disabilità. Ad esempio una persona sorda che ha perso la vista nel corso della vita, userà prevalentemente la lingua dei segni modificata. Viceversa chi nasce cieco e in seguito diventa sordo userà linguaggi tattili.

In Italia, con la Legge 107/2010 viene riconosciuta come "disabilità specifica unica" e non più come in precedenza, una semplice sommatoria delle due disabilità.

Nelle norme per la circolazione stradale, una persona sordocieca deve essere riconosciuta con un bastone biancorosso.[da Wikipedia]

http://www.ansamed.info/english/news/lifestyle/arts/2014/09/25/italian-deafblind-association-turns-50_c1e06840-b38f-4bcf-9403-7680239ac525.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj-s3-yDtSs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usaf3bVVvjY

3. Epilepsy

Glossary:

o seizure=crisi/attaccoo to support=sostenereo to fade away=affievolirsi/svanireo to develop=sviluppare/svilupparsio rate=tasso/grado/percentualeo to decline= scendere/dimunuire OPP. to increaseo to lead=condurreo due to=a causa di/dovuto ao environmental= ambientale/contestuale

o trigger=innesco

o to wonder=chiedersi/domandarsio whether=seo chance=possibilitào brain injury=lesione cerebraleo to stiffen=irrigidirsi

o to cry=piangere/strillareo to groan=lamentarsio to lose consciousness=perdere coscienza/i sensio to fall down=cadereo to bite=mordereo tongue=linguao blood=sangueo to jerk=strattonare/muoversi a scatti/dare spinteo to bend=piegarsio drowsy=assonnato

The tonic/stiffening phase The clonic jerking phase

All the muscles stiffen Arms and legs jerk rapidly and rhythmically: they bend and relax

The person may cry/groan, lose consciousness and fall down

The jerking slows and stops after a few minutes

He/she may bite his/her tongue and blood may emerge from the mouth

Consciousness returns slowly

The person may turn blue in the face The person may be drowsy,confused,agitated or depressed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qWPFCFmRlI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKxBQNABVws

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ61Oq9s4Yc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InXZaV1PqlQ

Epilepsy (growing into old age pp.194-196)

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the nervous system. A convulsion is a disturbance of the electrical activity in the brain. Epilepsy can affect people differently. There are multiple kinds of epilepsy and the two types are partial or generalized. The first one occurs in a specific part of the brain and may affect part of the body; the second one occurs all over the brain and can affect the entire body. Symptoms:

convulsions muscle spasms falling down loss of consciousness biting the tongue loss of bladder control

stiffening of the body

Risk factors and causes

The cause of epilepsy is unknown. A person can have risk factors and never develop the condition:

head injury or traumatic brain injury brain tumour Alzheimer’s disease brain infection e.g. meningitis hardening of brain arteries

Treatment

Anti-epileptic drugs or anti-convulsants are effective at controlling seizures in many patients (these drugs can carry various side effects). Dietary changes can play a key role (e.g. ketogenic diet, rich in fats and poor in carbohydrates).

How does epilepsy affect daily life?

In appearance epileptic people lead normal lives, in fact approximately 80% can be significantly helped by modern therapies, but people with severe seizures that resist treatment have a shorter life expectancy and an increased risk of cognitive impairment.

Children with epilepsy usually develop behavioural and emotional problems, like embarrassment and frustration. Adults with epilepsy may develop poor self-esteem, depression and suicide; moreover, the ever-present fear of the next seizure restricts their ability to drive, recreational choices (e.g. skydiving, motor racing). With supervision they can do swimming and sailing while jogging and football are safe for them.

By law in USA people with epilepsy cannot be denied employment or education; although only 56% of people with epilepsy finish high school and 15% finish college. About 25% of working-age people with epilepsy are unemployed.

Children may need extra time to complete schoolwork; teachers should know how to behave just in case of a seizure in classroom or in other educational environments.

4. Duchenne

Glossary:

to hop=salterellare to jump=saltare to climb=salire/scalare/arrampicarsi gait=andatura long leg calipers=calibri/tutori wheelchair=sedia a rotelle

to graduate=laurearsi physician=dottore/medico to pursue=seguire/inseguire electropuncture=elettro-puntura charity=beneficenza/carità to gain=ottenere/guadagnare

livelihood=sostentamento SYN.to earn a living scholarship=borsa di studio/sapere unorthodox=non convenzionale/poco ortodosso/eterodosso outstanding=eminente/notevole/rilevante electrophysiology=elettrofisiologico to bear=portare

At the age of around 3-4 years children affected by Duchenne dystrophy begin to show signs of weakness: the muscles become weaker and activities like running, hopping, jumping and climbing become true challenges. More muscle cells die and the child develops a very obvious gait and he/she frequently falls down, until he/she loses the ability to walk independently (he/she needs long leg calipers). Between the ages of 9 to 12 years some children begin to use a powered wheelchair. In adolescence the arms, chest and neck muscles can also be affected; it can be useful to keep children as mobile as possible through swimming, stretching, physiotherapy. A healthy diet, moreover, plays a key role. Obviously parents, brothers and sisters of the child affected by Duchenne should receive information and socially integrative support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA8W5UfE4ts

(Growing Into Old Age p.180-182)

Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD) is a lifelong condition recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Individuals with DCD can have different difficulties, for instance participation and functioning of everyday life skills in education, work, employment): it depends on environmental demands and life experiences.

Children may present difficulties with self-care, writing, typing, riding a bike, playing as well as other educational and recreational activities. Adults too may have this kind of difficulties, e.g. learning new skills at home, in education and work. A series of co-occurring difficulties can have serious negative impacts on daily life: social and emotional difficulties, problems with time management, planning and personal organization, with effects on adult’s education or employment experiences. A lot of people with DCD also have difficulties with memory, perception and processing.

[Dyspraxia is a developmental coordination disorder affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. Dyspraxia refers to those people who have additional problems in planning, organizing, and carrying out movements in the right order in everyday situations. The disorder can also affect articulation and speech, perception and thought; the disorder is caused probably by a disruption in the way messages are transmitted from the brain to the body. Dyspraxia cannot be cured, however children may get better growing up.]

Muscular dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy is a group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass, because of abnormal mutations which interfere with the production of proteins that feed a healthy muscle. Muscular dystrophy often begins in childhood, in other few cases in adulthood; the disorder affects whoever, whenever and wherever. The most common variety is Duchenne, that affects young boys: people with a family history of muscular dystrophy are likely to develop the disease or passing it to their children. Gradually people with M.D. lose the ability to walk;

other consequences are trouble breathing or swallowing. Unluckily there is no cure, the disease can be only managed and the specialists can slow its course .

[multiple sclerosis (MS)

MS is an auto-immune disease that affects the central nervous system; people with MS live difficulties in communication between brain and the rest of the body. The symptoms vary from mild discomfort to complete disability; the disease affects people in their 20’s and 40’s in the most part of cases (women are at a higher risk). M.S. can be treated but not cured, some people can live 30 years or more after the diagnosis.]

5. Down syndrome

Glossary:

features=caratteristiche on top of=oltre a actual=effettiva chance=possibilità translocation= traslocazione that is=cioè gets stuck=rimane bloccato hidden=latente

1.a. It is a genetic condition caused by extra genes from the 21st chromosome

2.a. D.S. gets its name from the British doctor J.L.Down, who identified the condition in 1866.

3.a. The cause of D.S. in unknown.

(Mother’s age is linked to the chance of having a baby with D.S.)

4.a. 1) trisomy 21= 95% of people (3 instead of 2 number 21 chromosomes) maternal origin

1.b. Individuals with D.S.have all the genes given to them by their parents (features typical of D.S. + the individual feat. from their parents).

2.b. The real chromosomal nature of D.S. was documented by Dr. Lejeune in 1959.

3.b. The extra 21st

chromosome causes an extra dose of proteins, that cause the typical features of D.S. (the proteins are unknown)

4.b. 2)translocation= 3-4% (an extra part of the 21st chromosome gets stuck onto another chromosome) [one parent carries the extra 21st

chromosome in a balanced/ hidden form]

4.c. 3)mosaicism= 1-2% (the person has an extra 21st

chromosome in only some of the cells)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAPmGW-GDHA

Down Syndrome (growing into old age pp.191-194)

Down Syndrome/ “Trisomy 21” is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops (mentally and physically). DS is named after John Langdon Down, the British doctor who first described the condition in 1887. The physical features and medical problems associated with DS can vary from child to child. Although DS cannot be prevented, it can be detected before child birthprenatal screening and diagnosis

The cause of DS is an extra chromosome 21, for a total of 47 chromosomes instead of 46: this extra genetic material causes the features of DS. The features are: flat facial profile, almond eyes, small ears, a protruding tongue, low muscle tone. Children with DS develop later than other children, tend to grow at a slower rate and remain smaller (they reach goals at a different time).

Medical problems

Some children with DS have got a congenital heart defect and problems with hearing and vision; others may develop pulmonary hypertension, thyroid problems, stomach and intestinal problems, seizure disorders, breathing problems, obesity, infections, childhood leukaemia.

Prenatal screening and diagnosis

There are two types of prenatal tests: screening and diagnostic tests. The first ones estimate the risk that a foetus actually has the condition; despite the fact that screening tests are convenient and easy to perform, they cannot give a definite answer. The second ones are about 99% accurate in detecting DS, but they carry a risk of miscarriage and complications. Diagnostic tests:

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS), performed between 10 and 12 weeks of pregnancy; Amniocentesis, between 15 and 20 weeks: it involves the removal of a small quantity of

amniotic fluid through a needle inserted in the abdomen; Percutaneus Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS)/ Cordocentesis, after 18 weeks: through a

needle a small sample of blood from the umbilical cord is taken.

Resources

Free early-intervention services for children from birth to age 3 are provided. At the age of 3 the child is guaranteed IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act2).

Aging and DS

Adults with DS are commonly living into their 50s, 60s and 70s; unfortunately, adults with DS can have “accelerated aging”, that is they experience certain conditions of elderly adults in their 40s and 50s. They are at a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease: although they are social, they should change their lifestyle activities and schedules. A solution could be social interaction and leisure time activities to keep physical and mental well-being, to give inputs and pleasure. As they get older it’s pivotal that their families offer them a “smooth transition” from home life to other types of living arrangements, avoiding possible crises.

2 Local school districts must provide “free appropriate education in an adequate environment with the least restrictions” and an IEP (Individualized Education Program) for each child, with annual goals for learning and so on.