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“Other impairment to health” (OHI) refers to physical or mental conditions that affect a child’s academic performance, requiring an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Education Plan. Conditions include asthma, ADD/ADHD, heart defects, COPD, kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, or sickle cell disease. Establishing OHI status involves accessing medical records and evaluating the condition’s impact on the child’s academic and social life. Children with OHI may receive counseling, friendship groups, or special rewards for good behavior. The goal is to help all children get the most out of their education.
The term “other impairment to health” (OHI) refers to physical or mental impairments that can affect a child’s academic performance. The term is usually used in association with developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or a 504 Education Plan, for a student in a public school setting. An IEP or 504 can also be done for private school children, but private schools are not required to change the curriculum or services for a child with such a disability.
An OHI is one of a general group of health problems that can impact student performance. A child with significant asthma could be considered to have such a disability, as could children with ADD or ADHD. Additionally, those suffering from heart defects, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease, or severe diabetes may suffer from poor performance in a public school setting. Other conditions that fall into this category include cancer, liver disease, or sickle cell disease.
This type of health condition can be a temporary condition, as in cancer, or permanent. The degree to which a condition can be treated will be factored into an education plan formed for the child. For example, a child with sickle cell disease is unlikely to get better, but they may be pain-free from time to time. If so, there may be higher expectations. Similarly, a child with treatable cancer may have temporary OHI status, and then when the child is well, educational expectations may be raised and any 504 or IEP plans scrapped.
Establishing this status is simple enough, even if it does involve allowing access to a child’s medical records. Additionally, children with a health condition may be evaluated at school to see if the condition actually creates harm in the classroom. If a child does not appear to be affected academically or socially, no action can be taken. If an impairment progresses, however, it may be helpful to establish that a child has one so that action can be taken in the future if her condition worsens.
Even if your child isn’t suffering academically, a history of multiple hospitalizations or long illnesses can affect him socially. Children who have an established condition may have different behavior rules or behavioral consequences than children without health problems. Often, a 504 behavior plan addresses the emotional needs of children who are scarred by more than surgery or medical interventions.
Such children may be eligible for counseling services, friendship groups, or special rewards for good behavior. Some principals play an active role in helping students with an OHI. They may meet with a child once a week for additional support or encouragement, although this is not the case for all administrators.
The goal of this health classification is to identify students who will fail in school settings when the rules for them are not created or changed. Because the goal of public schools is to help all children get the most out of their education, the OHI classification can help open new paths toward more effectively educating students to the best of their abilities.
