Lawrence Montegut Hydrocephalus

What is hydrocephalus? It is a condition in which the primary characteristic is excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain Although hydrocephalus was once known as "water on the brain," the "water" is actually cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) — a clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord The excessive accumulation of CSF results in an abnormal widening of spaces in the brain called ventricles. This widening creates a potentially harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain

Signs and symptoms Chronic Headaches Caused due to the intracranial pressure which is high and the blood vessels may be compressed Loss of coordination and difficulty walking Cerebellum is compressed or damaged Bladder Problems Nerves that control the voluntary muscles are affected Vision Problems Due to compression or damage of occipital lobe Poor memory and difficulty concentrating Damage to the mid brain

Shunt System Hydrocephalus shunting involves the implantation of two catheters and flow control valve system to drain the excess accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain’s ventricles (or the lumbar subarachnoid space) to another part of the body where it can be absorbed.

Teaching Strategies Teachers can support students with organization difficulties by: outline material to be covered use overheads containing central points while lecturing provide clear schedules of the day’s events break down complex tasks into smaller, sequenced pieces Using discussions rather than lectures to develop and integrate ideas; Use students’ strengths in rote learning to help them develop habits and routines to organize themselves and their work.

Teaching Strategies Cont. Unidirectional Peer Tutoring-it is effective when working with someone who is severely disabled This will allow for close one on one time to learn at his/her pace and will help concentrate on learning new things and completing school work. Cross-Age Peer Tutoring- it allows for someone older to teacher a younger child. This would be harder to have a seven year old teach another seven year old with hydrocephalus because of the impairments.

Teaching Strategies Cont. Be sure to have the child’s attention before telling or showing him or her something. Give short assignments that can be done successfully. Provide additional time to complete timed tasks.

Modification, Adaptation and Inclusion Techniques Equipment modifications If a student has a loss of coordination and concentration it can cause for the student to not be able to putt a golf ball. A modification that can be made is to allow the student to use a bright colored ball putt. For students with a vision impairment a brighter color can be use used for the walls around the hole. This can help them see where to putt the ball. In some cases, the student may need to wear a specialized helmet to protect their head. Rule modifications Student will be allowed to putt the ball 15 times instead of being giving a designated amount of time to putt. This will allow more inclusion for the student because they will be able to have another chance to putt the ball.