Treatment of Disabilities and Disorders for Students Receiving Special Education and Related Services

Since March of 2020 and the pandemic, the traditional day at school has changed in many ways. Because of COVID-19, students were at home or splitting time between virtual learning and on-campus learning, and administrators, teachers and assistants were trying to adapt. Naturally, this made it difficult for students to have a consistent educational thread to follow. For students with disabilities, this time presented even greater clear and present challenges. Some students with disabilities are faced with additional hurdles in the classroom due to learning disorders, which inhibits their ability to process and retain information. Because numerous mental processes affect a student’s abilities, learning disorders can vary widely as well as the treatment options, and special educators must be equipped to navigate these challenges.

NASET's has now developed two new series, Diagnosis of Students with Disabilities and Disorders and Treatment Options for Students with Disabilities and Disorders. The latest series on Treatment Options provides teachers professionally based treatment options for a variety of disorders and disabilities involved with students with disabilities. Further, for children already receiving special education services, teachers may be interested in knowing how the specific disorder or disability is treated (**Note--It is very important to remember that any diagnosis or treatment of a disability or disorder must only be done by a trained and qualified professional or a team of professionals; it is never your role to make a specific diagnosis on any child).

Each article in this series describes the treatment options used to treat a disability or disorder.


LATEST ISSUE of NASET's Treatment of Disabilities and Disorders for Students Receiving Special Education and Related Services


Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

What is anxiety?

Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Many people worry about things such as health, money, or family problems. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, schoolwork, and relationships.

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobia-related disorders.

How is anxiety treated?

Anxiety disorders are generally treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both. There are many ways to treat anxiety, and you should work with a health care provider to choose the best treatment for you.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or “talk therapy” can help people with anxiety disorders. To be effective, psychotherapy must be directed at your specific anxieties and tailored to your needs.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an example of one type of psychotherapy that can help people with anxiety disorders. It teaches people different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations to help you feel less anxious and fearful. CBT has been well studied and is the gold standard for psychotherapy.

Exposure therapy is a CBT method that is used to treat anxiety disorders. Exposure therapy focuses on confronting the fears underlying an anxiety disorder to help people engage in activities they have been avoiding. Exposure therapy is sometimes used along with relaxation exercises.

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