Health Issues and Early Childhood Education
Getting an education is hard for any child, but is especially tough for those with health issues. Most children suffer from the following, which are going to be discussed, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Epilepsy (or seizure disorders), and Down Syndrome. For children with disorders and sicknesses it is hard to be in a regular classroom. If a child has trouble with very important elements of education, which will be explained in more detail later on, a child needs assistance and guidance through their years of school, especially the years of early childhood.
“Several studies have evaluated specific areas of cognitive dysfunction in school-age children exposed prenatally to alcohol. …(a) short-term memory deficit in verbal and visual material; (b) inadequate processing of information, reflected by sparse integration of information and poor quality of responses; (c) inflexible approaches to problem solving; and (d) difficulties in mathematical computations.” This quote relates to children who are fighting against fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). For example, if a child with FAS were to playing a game of Memory, he/she would have trouble remembering the first card due to the dysfunction of the short-term memory or mathematical problems, such as; word problems would be difficult for them. Language delay and poor vocabulary are other signs of the short- term memory insufficiency. Short – term memory, processing of information, integration of information, problem solving, mathematical computations, and vocabulary are all aspects of education. “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by developmentally inappropriate degrees of inattention, overactivity, and impulsivity. These often arise in early childhood; are relatively chronic in nature;…” ADHD can be deficit within neurological areas, language development, some cases of retardation, motor and sensory impairment. Children with this disorder have trouble in the classroom, because their span of attention is very short, due to, these factors. They may get frustrated with their inability to do certain activities. Epilepsy or seizure disorders are, “sudden and recurrent disturbances in mental function, state of consciousness, sensory activity, or movements of the body, caused by paroxysmal malfunction of cerebral nerve cells.”
This malfunction then causes seizures. Seizure disorders commonly begin in childhood. There are several kinds of epilepsy and seizures, leading to different types of learning difficulties. Down Syndrome (DS) is, “an inherited condition marked by moderate to severe mental deficiency, by distinctive physical characteristics (as slanting eyes and broad hands with short fingers) …- called also mongolism.” This syndrome is with the child from birth, so help early childhood education is very important. Children with DS have trouble with language development and motor skills in the years of early childhood. There is delay with language development that causes abnormal speech patterns. Some examples are mental retardation, the disruption of learning and processing information due to the frequency of seizures, and side effects from seizure medication.
So, what can we do to help children with disabilities in early childhood education? Well, we can start by looking at the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975 this act, “ensures a free, appropriate public education for all children with disabilities in the United States.”This program is individualized for the child and their parents. Students with disabilities, under this act, can be provided with inclusion programs. Inclusion programs can help these children get along with society and help children without disabilities understand them. As for the sicknesses and disorders themselves. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome needs early identification with programs of prenatal counseling and treatment, and individual assessment for each child and their parents is especially important, as well. Special Education Services for FAS children includes the Individual Education Plan (IEP), which is a psychoeducational assessment created to meet psychosocial, academic, and the cognitive needs for these children.
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