Caring for People with Additional Needs Essay Example for Free

Caring for People with Additional Needs Essay Introduction In my AO1 ‘caring for people with additional needs’ portfolio I am going to provide and clearly display in great detail information and understanding of three causes of additional needs. I will do this by researching a range of sources to get in dept information. Then I will provide an explanation with great content of the effects on people who are in need of these services due to their additional needs. Finally, I intend to record in depth and show understanding of each stage of the care management process and evaluate how it is used to access, plan, implement, monitor and review individual care plans. Definition of disability â€Å"A physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a persons ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.† (http://www.equalityni.org) What is a physical disability? People with physical disabilities, also known as disabled people or physically disabled people, have a physical impairment which has a substantial and long term effect on their ability to carry our day-to-day activities. Someone with a moderate physical disability would have mobility problems, e.g. unable to manage stairs, and need aids or assistance to walk. Someone with a severe physical disability would be unable to walk and dependent on a carer for mobility. Depending on their individual needs, disabled people may require an accessible home, with or without aids and adaptations. Occupational therapists will assess an individual persons needs for these, and refer the person on to the appropriate agency to have adaptations carried out. Care Repair Services help disabled owner occupiers and private tenants to have adaptations carried out. (http://www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk) What is a sensory disability? A sensory disability is when one of your senses; sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste or spatial awareness, is no longer normal. For example, if you wear glasses you have a slight impairment. If you find it hard to hear then you have a hearing impairment. You don’t have to have completely lost a sense to be sensory impaired. (http://www.staffordshirecares.info) What is a Learning disability? A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things in any area of life, not just at school. Find out how a learning disability can affect someone, and who can offer support. It affects the way they understand information and how they communicate. This means they can have difficulty: †¢ Understanding new or complex information †¢ Learning new skills, and †¢ Coping independently â€Å"In practical terms,† says Lesley Campbell from the learning disability charity Mencap, â€Å"a learning disability means that it’s harder for your child to learn, understand and communicate than it is for other children.† A learning disability is not the same as learning difficulty or mental illness. â€Å"People get confused if they start using the term ‘learning difficulty’. In education this means things like dyslexia, which is not a learning disability,† says Campbell. â€Å"Our definition of learning disabilities focuses on people who have difficulty learning across more than one area of their life. It’s not just to do with reading or writing.† (http://www.nhs.uk) The three conditions I have chosen to focus on are Down’s syndrome that is caused by a chromosomal disorder, cerebral palsy that is caused by damage before and after birth and diabetes that is caused by a disease and medical condition. Firstly I am going to research Downs’s syndrome, which is caused by a chromosomal disorder. Down’s syndrome is a genetic disorder that was named after John Langdon Down, the doctor who first recognised it as a distinct condition in 1866.Down’s syndrome affects a babys normal physical development and causes moderate to severe learning difficulties. It is a lifelong condition that develops when a baby is still in the womb (uterus). Children who are born with Down’s syndrome also have a higher chance of developing other conditions, some of which are life threatening. (http://www.nhs.uk) Down’s syndrome (DS), also called Trisomy 21, is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, both mentally and physically. The physical features and medical problems associated with Down’s syndrome can vary widely from child to child. While some children with Down’s syndrome need a lot of medical attention, others lead healthy lives. Though Down’s syndrome cant be prevented, it can be detected before a child is born. The health problems that may go along with Down’s syndrome can be treated, and many resources are available to help children and their families who are living with the condition. (http://kidshealth.org) Downs syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 of 800 live births. It is uncommon in the UK, for example, from 2007 to 2008, 1,843 cases of Down’s syndrome were diagnosed during pregnancy, and 743 babies were born with the condition. Down’s syndrome affects about 1 in every 1,000 live births. Down’s syndrome affects all ethnic groups equally. Boys are slightly more likely (around 15%) to be born with Down’s syndrome than girls. (http://www.nhs.uk) The likelihood of having a baby born with Downs syndrome increases with the mothers age: What are the symptoms? There are estimated to be over 100 characteristics of Down’s syndrome. Common characteristics of Down syndrome can include: †¢ A flat facial profile †¢ An upward slant to the eye †¢ A short neck †¢ Abnormally shaped ears †¢ White spots on the iris of the eye (called Brushfield spots) †¢ A single, deep transverse crease on the palm of the hand †¢ Smaller than average size †¢ Exaggerated space between the first and second toe †¢ Poor muscle tone (called hypotonia) †¢ Joint looseness †¢ Broad feet with short toes †¢ Learning disabilities. (http://down-syndrome.emedtv.com) The diagnosis Antenatal screening is a way of assessing whether the unborn baby could develop, or has developed, an abnormality during the pregnancy. Antenatal screening cannot diagnose conditions such as Down’s syndrome, but it can determine the likelihood of the baby developing the syndrome. If the risk of Down’s syndrome (or any other condition) is shown to be high, further testing can be arranged to confirm whether or not the baby has the condition. The test that is used for Down’s syndrome is a combined blood test and an ultrasound scan, which is known as the ‘combined test’. During a blood test, a sample of your blood will be taken and tested to check the levels of certain proteins and hormones. If the blood contains abnormal levels of these substances, one may have an increased risk of having a baby with Down’s syndrome. (http://www.nhs.uk) The treatment Down’s syndrome is not a condition that can be cured. However, there are treatments and therapies for the physical, medical and cognitive problems associated with Down syndrome. †¢ Medications can be used to treat certain conditions that occur in people with Down’s syndrome. For example, if a person with Down syndrome has a seizure disorder, they would benefit from taking anti-seizure medications. †¢ The baby’s pediatrician will be the main person managing the infant’s health issues. Most pediatricians have experience dealing with the common medical issues seen in children with Down’s syndrome. †¢ Children with Down syndrome are almost always referred to early intervention programs shortly after birth. Early intervention is a program of therapies, exercises and activities designed to specifically help children with Down syndrome or other disabilities. †¢ Physical therapy focuses on motor development. Since most children with Down’s syndrome have hypotonia or low muscle tone, the goal of physical therapy is to teach the children with Down’s syndrome to move their bodies in appropriate ways, and to improve their muscle tone. †¢ Speech therapy is a very important treatment for children with Down’s syndrome. Because children with Down’s syndrome often have small mouths and slightly enlarged tongues, they can have articulation problems. (http://downsyndrome.about.com) Theres no cure, but treatment of any accompanying health problems and support for learning difficulties allows many people with the syndrome to lead relatively normal and semi-independent lives. Others, however, need full-time care. Many people with the condition live well into adulthood, with an average life expectancy of around 60 years. Physiotherapy, speech therapy and special educational programmes have an important role to play, while specific medical conditions associated with the syndrome are treated as appropriate.(http://www.bbc.co.uk) What are the short term and long-term effects on someone with downs syndrome physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially? Long term effects- physically Common Down’s syndrome physical effects can include thyroid problems, hearing problems, congenital heart disease, eye problems, joint and muscle problems, Seizure, bone, Leukaemia and other cancers, Immune system problems. (http://down-syndrome.emedtv.com) Children with Down syndrome have a widely recognised characteristic appearance. Their head may be smaller than normal and abnormally shaped. Other prominent characteristics of Down syndrome are: a flattened nose, protruding tongue, upward slanting eyes, short hands and fingers, and a single crease in the palm. (http://www.mamashealth.com) Short term effects- physically Children with Down syndrome have decreased resistance to infections and are more prone to dental disease. Some people with Down’s syndrome may have to wear glasses or eye patches. (http://www.health.state.mn.us) Long term effects- intellectually Down’s syndrome affects a childs ability to learn in different ways, but most have mild to moderate intellectual impairment. Children with Down’s syndrome can and do learn, and are capable of developing skills throughout their lives. They simply reach goals at a different pace. There is often a misconception that individuals with Down’s syndrome have a â€Å"static† or predetermined ability to learn. This simply is not true. It is now known that individuals with Down’s syndrome develop over the course of their lifetime and should be treated accordingly. The learning potential of an individual with Down’s syndrome can be maximised through early intervention, good education, higher expectations and encouragement. (http://downsyndrome.about.com) Some may not be able to cope up with complex thinking that is required in the study of certain subjects. Some may achieve the complex thought process much later. (http://www.buzzle.com) Short term effects-intellectually As almost all children with Down’s syndrome have some degree of intellectual disability, we expect them to have more difficulty developing speech than normal children do. If the child with Down’s syndrome does not have a hearing loss we expect the child’s ability to develop speech to be somewhat dependent on the level of intellectual ability. Therefore, if the child has only a mild intellectual disability (and no hearing loss) he or she usually develops a great deal of speech and can have a simple conversation with family or friends. If the child has a very severe degree of intellectual disability we expect the Down syndrome child to have a great deal of difficulty developing spoken language, and we may use signs and/or pictures (augmentative communication) to help us communicate with that child. (http://www.sch.edu.au) Long term effects-emotionally Around 1 in 5 people with Down’s syndrome will develop a psychological or behavioural condition. Children: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) a behavioural condition that is characterised by a short attention span and impulsiveness Autistic spectrum disorder a developmental disorder than can cause problems with language, behaviour and social interaction Teenagers and adults: Depression a condition that causes persistent feelings of extreme sadness Obsessive compulsive disorder a health condition that is usually associated with both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour. (http://www.nhs.uk) Short term effects – emotionally Because of the communication problems discussed above, people with Down’s syndrome may have difficulty talking about things that make them sad or angry. Major life changes such as loss or separation may prompt decreases in appropriate behaviour at school or work. (http://www.ds-health.com) Long term effects – socially They are recognisably inarticulate in their language and communication skills. Their emotional and intellectual growth is often retarded. Children with Down’s syndrome lack in social abilities. (http://www.buzzle.com) Short term effects – socially Socially people with Down’s syndrome are affected, they may feel that it is difficult to mix with people independently, although further into their lives they may develop more confidence to be able to socialise more easily. That’s not to say that people with Down’s syndrome are shy or unsociable, but just may have less confidence in certain years of their lives. Some people with Down’s syndrome may have to be supervised because of their condition, leaving them less outgoing and feeling uncomfortable having an adult watching over them. My second cause of additional need that i now intend to discuss is cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy is a general term covering a number of neurological conditions that affect a childs movement and coordination. Neurological conditions affect the brain and nervous system. Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the brain, which normally occurs before, during or soon after birth. Known possible causes of cerebral palsy include: †¢ Infection in early pregnancy †¢ A difficult or premature birth †¢ Bleeding in the baby’s brain †¢ Abnormal brain development in the baby (http://www.nhs.uk) At some point very early in life, either while a baby is still growing in the womb, during birth or shortly after, something happens to interfere with the normal development of the brain or to injure the brain tissues. This abnormal development or injury disrupts the nerve signals between the brain and the muscles, leading to problems with movement, posture and coordination as the child grows up. This is called cerebral palsy. While some people are severely affected, others have only minor disruption, depending on which parts of the brain are not functioning properly. It’s estimated that as many as 1 in every 400 children may have cerebral palsy, which means nearly 2,000 babies, from all social backgrounds and ethnic groups, are diagnosed every year. (http://www.bbc.co.uk) About 1 in 500 babies born in the UK have cerebral palsy. The number of cases per year (the incidence) has not changed much over the period of 50 years or so. The health and care of mothers have improved in this time and some causes of cerebral palsy have decreased. However, more babies are being born prematurely and surviving. A proportion of these will have cerebral palsy. This (together with the cause in most cases not being known) is probably why the number of cases has not changed much over the period of 50 years or so. (http://www.patient.co.uk) What are the symptoms? Cerebral palsy is often classified into different types depending on the type of symptoms, which in turn probably reflect which parts of the brain are not working as they should. These include: †¢ Spastic cerebral palsy (about 70 per cent of all cases) some of the muscles in the body are tight, stiff and weak, drawing the limbs in and making control of movement difficult. †¢ Athetoid (dyskinetic) cerebral palsy (10 per cent of cases) control of muscles is disrupted by spontaneous and unwanted irregular writhing movements. These may be the result of muscles changing very rapidly from being loose and floppy to very tight and tense. The muscles used for speech may also be affected, interfering with communication. Control of posture is also disrupted. †¢ Ataxic cerebral palsy problems include difficulty with balance, shaky movements of hands or feet, and difficulty with speech. †¢ Mixed cerebral palsy a combination of two or more of the above. In coordination of the muscles of the mouth may cause feeding problems such as slow feeding, gagging and vomiting. There may be delayed motor milestones, such as crawling and walking, weakness or paralysis of the l imbs, an abnormal gait and slowness in developing speech and social skills. As many as one in three children and adolescents with cerebral palsy also has epilepsy (or seizures). Other common problems include: †¢ Difficulty with walking, writing, eating, talking, dressing †¢ Problems with balance and coordination †¢ Difficulty controlling and maintaining posture (they may need help to sit upright) †¢ Visual difficulties †¢ Hearing problems (http://www.bbc.co.uk) The symptoms of cerebral palsy normally become apparent during the first three years of your childs life. Your child may be slower in achieving important developmental goals, such as learning to crawl, walk or speak. Children with cerebral palsy also tend to have problems with their muscle tone (the unconscious ability to contract or relax muscles as needed). Your child may have: †¢ Hypertonia: increased muscle tone, which can make them appear stiff or rigid †¢ Hypotonia: decreased muscle tone, which makes them appear floppy (http://www.nhs.uk) The diagnosis The paediatrician will ask about a childs history and their pattern of development. They will also study a childs reflexes, posture, motor skills and muscle tone. Depending on the childs age, they may also be referred to an educational psychologist so the childs intellectual development can be assessed. Further tests may be recommended to rule out other conditions, which cause similar symptoms to cerebral palsy, such as a tumour or muscular dystrophy (a genetic condition affecting the development of the muscles). In some cases, further testing will also be able to confirm a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. This is because the condition can cause changes to the structure of the brain, which can be detected by the tests. Tests a child may require include: †¢ Blood tests †¢ Cranial ultrasound, which uses sound waves to build up a picture of the childs brain tissue †¢ MRI scan, which uses radio and magnetic waves to study the brain in more detail †¢ CT scan, which uses a series of X-rays that are then assembled by a computer to create a detailed 3-D model of a childs brain While a confident diagnosis of cerebral palsy can usually be made when s child is two or three years old, the type and severity of a childs cerebral palsy may not be determined until they reach four or five years of age. (http://www.nhs.uk) Treatment Theres no cure for cerebral palsy. However, there are plenty of treatments and therapies that can reduce the impact of the condition by easing symptoms such as spasticity, improving communication skills and finding other ways to do things. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy can all play an important part. Children with cerebral palsy do best when they get special help from an early age. Because the brain changes a lot during the first few years of life, it can be difficult to assess the extent of cerebral palsy at first, but most experts suggest babies should be first assessed at about 9 to 12 months. Many children with cerebral palsy benefit from an approach known as conductive education, which helps them to overcome movement problems and gain some control through special education and rehabilitation. Adults can get a lot from it too. Speech and language therapy helps with speech development and also with eating, drinking, and swallowing. Surgery is sometimes needed to correct any deformities that develop as a result of abnormal muscle development or function. Medication can reduce muscle hyperactivity and spasticity, but physiotherapy is the bedrock of cerebral palsy management and can helps with posture and movement. It also tries to prevent progression of disability. Occupational therapy helps children overcome difficulties performing everyday tasks, encouraging them to lead independent lives. With help, most people with cerebral palsy are able to live much the same sort of lives as everyone else. They may have to work a bit harder to overcome practical problems, but most things are possible. (http://www.bbc.co.uk)