Page 90 - School Bus Operators and Attendants Handbook

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This is a condition in which students have difficulty sitting still, controlling behavior and paying attention.
Students may be impulsive and must be carefully watched at the bus stop and on the bus. They often have
difficulty following directions, talk too much, have trouble waiting, etc. and get into trouble often because
of these behaviors. Often, they are on medications to quiet and focus them.

Traumatic Brained-Injured (TBI)

Students with TBI have acquired an injury to the brain from an external physical force such as a motor-
vehicle accident, blow to the head, or by an internal occurrence such as a stroke or aneurism. This may
cause total or partial functional disability or psychological maladjustment that adversely affects educational
performance.

The term TBI includes open or closed head injuries resulting in mild, moderate, or severe impairments in
one or more areas including cognition, language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking,
judgment, sensory, perception, psychosocial behavior, physical functions, information processing, and
speech. The term includes anoxia due to trauma but does not include brain injuries that are congenital,
degenerative, or induced by birth trauma.

Epilepsy

This disorder is a neurological condition (or permanent injury) that affects the brain making it susceptible
to recurring seizures. A seizure is a brief disruption of electrical activity in the brain. Consciousness, bodily
movements, or sensation may be affected for short periods of time when a person is having a seizure.

Epilepsy affects people of all ages, ethnicities, and genders. It can even occur in animals. In seven out of
ten people with epilepsy, no cause can be found. Drug therapy is the most common treatment for epilepsy,
however, on rare occasions, surgery is performed. In addition, a special diet may be implemented or an
implanted device may be programmed to stimulate the vagus nerve. Epilepsy is not contagious and is not
a mental illness.

Seizure Recognition

1. Immediately contact dispatch upon seeing a possible seizure
2. Stay calm. Most seizures only last a couple of minutes.
3. Prevent injury by moving any nearby objects out of the way
4. Pay attention to the length of the seizure
5. Make the person as comfortable as possible
6. Keep onlookers away
7. Do NOT hold the person down
8. Do NOT put anything in the person’s mouth
9. Do NOT give the person water, pills, or food until the person is fully alert
10. If the seizure continues for longer than five minutes, call 911
11. Be sensitive and supportive, and ask others to do the same

Page 90 of 149
Exceptional Student Education (ESE)