Learners With Chronic Illnesses Difficult Circumstances

Learners with Chronic Illnesses
Prepared by: Apolinaria Daquioag- Andres, PhD
Chronic diseases are defined broadly as conditions that last 1 year or more and require
ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both. Chronic diseases such as heart
disease, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the United
States.
Some of the most common types of chronic illnesses include:
• Cancer.
• Diabetes.
• Heart disease.
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Allergy
Implications for Learning
Chronic health conditions can cause ongoing difficulties such as fatigue and nausea, but
can also become acute, significantly impairing a student’s work performance for a few hours or
several days. Additionally, the use of medication frequently entails unpleasant side effects.
Students with chronic health conditions may experience symptoms such as difficulty
concentrating or memorizing, changes in energy levels, or chronic pain. Since health conditions
have different causes and can affect the neurological, circulatory, cardiovascular, immune,
endocrine, or digestive systems, they require ongoing medical follow-up, and may have an
impact on the student’s academic performance and attendance. Royster and Marshall (2008)
note:
Although chronic illnesses encompass a wide range of symptoms and health conditions,
they share an important characteristic: an unpredictable waxing and waning course of illness
with recurring relapses and hospitalizations. Unlike more traditional and better understood
disabilities that can be addressed by specific solutions, such as wheelchair access, hearing
aids, or readers, chronic illnesses require ongoing flexible accommodations.
Students who experience chronic health conditions may also face prejudice and
stigmatization. As with many disabilities, especially invisible ones, people may harbour unfair
and negative attitudes about people with chronic illness, including assumptions that the
individual is faking or exaggerating symptoms, or that they expect special treatment, take
advantage of others, are lazy, or are simply weak. Bullick (2012) provides these tips for dealing
with negative attitudes:
1. Consider the person, not merely the symptoms and effects of the illness.
2. Focus on what he/she can do rather than what he/she cannot do.
3. Ask someone with a chronic condition if he/she can help you gain a better understanding
of his/her illness.
4. Make informed decisions rather than snap judgments. In today’s age of instant
information, it’s easy to find facts and evidence about how chronic conditions affect
those living with them.
5. Be patient. For people living with chronic conditions, health becomes a big (and often
time-consuming) priority, sometimes making it difficult to make and maintain friendships
and relationships.
6. Share your knowledge. As you learn more about chronic conditions, you can help correct
the misconceptions others may have about it.
7. Become a champion. When you lend your support to groups and organizations that
represent people with chronic conditions, you are contributing to efforts to change
attitudes and to finding treatments and cures.
Common Accommodations
The following accommodations and classroom adaptations are a list of suggested

accommodations, but are not comprehensive or exhaustive, nor will all accommodations listed
be necessary in all cases. Other accommodations may be implemented based on the individual
needs of each student as recommended by your campus Disability Services Office or other
professionals.
Common Characteristics of a Student with Commonly Suggested

Chronic Health Conditions Accommodations/Classroom Adaptations
Student has difficulty taking notes due to Permit the use of assistive technology (e.g.,
fatigue, hand stiffness, or lack of concentration. computer, digital voice recorder).
Provide the support of a tutor, note taker, or lab

Student experiences lack of concentration,
assistant.
‘memory fog,’ severe pain, physical limitation,
Allow extra time for assignments, tests and
frequent absences, or other physical symptoms.
examinations.
Student experiences physical symptoms that

require immediate or frequent interventions Allow breaks during classes to go to the
such as going to the washroom, getting a drink, washroom, drink water, and move around.
or moving to relieve stiffness or pain.
Limit or space exams to avoid having too many
Student is easily fatigued or exhausted.
on the same day or during the same week.
Student is easily distracted due to symptoms

such as reduced concentration, pain, or other Allow exams to be written in a separate room.
physical symptoms.
Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances

UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Article 19 (Protection from all forms of violence): Children have the right to be protected from
being hurt and mistreated, physically or mentally. Governments should ensure that children are
properly cared for and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect
All children are not fortunate enough to receive an environment which is conducive to
provide appropriate development opportunities. The need to protect some children is certainly
greater than others due to their specific socio-economic and political circumstances and
geographical location. They are more vulnerable in terms of the risk to their right to survival,
development, protection and participation. These are the children in especially difficult
circumstances.
Children in especially difficult circumstances (CEDC) is a worldwide problem. They

suffer from deprivation, exploitation and neglect for no fault of their own and for reasons beyond
their control. It is an enormous global social concern that has attracted the attention of the entire
world community, ranging from professionals in the various fields of pediatrics, social work,
psychology and psychiatry, to legislators, administrators and politicians.
CEDC are those children whose basic needs are not met. Children in difficult
circumstances represent a large and diverse group. Some form of social disruption is common
to their lives. All of these children have special needs, specially the need for psychosocial
support. The needs vary greatly, especially as the circumstances and reasons for difficulties in
existence vary and are ever changing. Some of these children live with their families, while
some do not or could be orphans. Some are working or are found vagrant on the streets, while
others could be in conflict with law or affected by armed conflicts or natural calamities. Children
could be sexually exploited, trafficked or forced to work in bondage hence taking away from
them the delights and the innocence of childhood. The health and well-being of CEDC are
severely compromised. It could largely depend on the social interventions, moral values and
sensitivity of civil society and legal system and the nature of rehabilitative services provided so
as to restore to them their childhood. Outcomes depend on the intensity and duration of the
adversity, the child’s age and gender, and availability of support and protection.
Over the years, based on the social conditions, economic involvement, familial situation
and conditions of living, children have been categorized as those in difficult circumstances. The
categorization done by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (n.d.(a)) on Children in
Especially Difficult Circumstances includes:
• Homeless children (pavement dwellers, displaced/evicted, etc.)

• Orphaned or abandoned children
• Children whose parents cannot or are not able to take care of them
• Children separated from parents
• Migrant and refugee children
• Street children
• Working children
• Trafficked children
• Children in bondage
• Children in prostitution
• Children of sex workers/prostitutes/sexual minorities/Children of prisoners
• Children affected by wars and conflict
• Children affected by natural disasters
• Children affected by HIV/AIDS
• Children suffering from terminal diseases
• The girl child
• Children with disabilities and related special needs
• Children belonging to the ethnic and religious minorities, and other minority communities,
and those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes;
• Children in institutional care, be it in state-run institutions or religious and other charitable
institutions
• Children in conflict with law
• Children who are victims of crime

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Learners with Chronic Illnesses

Prepared by: Apolinaria Daquioag- Andres, PhD

Some of the most common types of chronic illnesses include:

Implications for Learning

The following accommodations and classroom adaptations are a list of suggested

Common Characteristics of a Student with Commonly Suggested

Provide the support of a tutor, note taker, or lab

Student experiences physical symptoms that

Student is easily distracted due to symptoms

Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances

Children in especially difficult circumstances (CEDC) is a worldwide problem. They

• Homeless children (pavement dwellers, displaced/evicted, etc.)

• Children who are victims of crime

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