OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS
DefinitionOther health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that--
(i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and (ii) Adversely affects a child’s educational performance. [§300.8(c)(9)] What’s immediately clear from this definition is that there are quite a few disabilities and disorders that fall under the umbrella of “other health impairment.” And those disabilities are very different from one another. This makes it difficult for us to summarize “other health impairment” and connect you with more information and guidance on the subject. And that’s why, in a moment, we will break this discussion down into closer looks at each of the disabilities listed: ADD or AD/HD, diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, and so on. We’d also like to point out that IDEA’s definition uses the phrase “such as…” That’s significant. It means that the disabilities listed are not the only ones that may be considered when a child’s eligibility for special services under IDEA is decided. A child with another health impairment (one not listed in IDEA’s definition) may be found eligible for special services and assistance. What’s central to all the disabilities falling under “Other Health Impairment” is that the child must have:
Primary CharacteristicsThis section on “other health impairment” will connect you with information and resources on the specific disabilities IDEA mentions. We do so in separate files, because this fact sheet will get quite lengthy and cumbersome otherwise. Also be aware that you can identify more resources on each disability by using our SEARCH box that appears on every page on our site.
OK. What disabilities does IDEA mention in its definition of Other Health Impairment? Follow the links to more info on these disabilities. You’ll also find these links again at the bottom of this fact sheet, if you’d like to keep reading about OHI in general, including life at school and other disabilities not mentioned in the OHI definition.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, other health impairments can also fall under the umbrella of IDEA’s disability category besides the ones specifically mentioned in the law. The U.S. Department of Education mentions specific other disorders or conditions that may, in combination with other factors, qualify a child for services under IDEA–for example:
Characteristics
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Accommodations & ModificationsAccommodations
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