Concept of Handicap – This book covers the entire syllabus of ” Community Health Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate the latest information and topics.
This book is an examination-friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination questions. At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourish. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Concept of Handicap
A handicap is defined as a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal for that individual.
Handicap may be intrinsic or extrinsic.
1. Intrinsice.g. blindness
2. Extrinsic-e.g. loss of parents.
[Ref-K Park 26/787,501]
Classification:
a) Physically handicapped
b) Mentally handicapped
c) Socially handicapped
a. Physically handicapped: e.g. blind, deaf and mute.
Causes
✔ Birth defect
✔ Infections
✔ Accidents
b. Mentally handicapped: e.g. mental retardation.
Causes
✔ Genetic condition: e.g. Down’s syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome etc.
✔ Antenatal factors; e.g. neural tube defect, Rh incompatibility etc.
✔Perinatal factors: e.g. birth injuries.
✔ Miscellaneous: e.g. maternal malnutrition, PEM, iodine deficiency etc.
c. Socially handicapped: e.g. parental inadequacy, environmental deprivation etc.
[Ref- K Park 26/787-88]
Approaches to prevention:
A. Primary prevention:
1. Genetic counselling
2. At-risk approach: People “at risk” of transmitting inherited diseases (e.g., chromosomal or sex-linked diseases) should be identified.
3. Immunization: Against poliomyelitis
4. Nutrition
5. Others:
✔ Avoidance of infectious diseases
✔ Potentially teratogenic drugs
✔ X-ray & smoking
✔ Special care of high risk women especially during labour, and accident prevention.
B. Secondary prevention:
1. Diagnosis of handicap:
✔ Parents themselves have responsibility to bring the child to paediatrician and advice.
✔ Investigation of the child requires full history, assessment of the degree of handicap
2. Treatment:
✔ Physiotherapy
✔ Occupational therapy (The child is taught, according to his ability and taste, things like music, painting, weaving, work, pottery, basket making etc.)
✔Speech therapy (the trained to talk normally); and Prosthetics (provision of limbs, hearing aids and other equipment).
✔”Physical Medicine Rehabilitation”.
3. Training and education:
✔ The handicapped child is trained for an independent living is called “vocational guidance”.
✔ He is trained to “work with what is left”, so that he is not a burden on others.
4. In family:
✔ They should get love & warmth patience & tolerance, bedside discipline.
✔The natural potentials identified & child must be helped to develop in that direction.
[Ref-K Park 26/787-88]
Read more: