Temporary Medical Conditions

Disability Services for Students (DSS) provides reasonable assistance to students with temporary medical conditions such as injuries or acute illnesses who may require temporary classroom support. According to the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act of 2008, temporary medical conditions are not considered a disability as they do not rise to this level as outlined by the ADA due to the duration (generally 6 months or less) of symptoms or functional limitations. Documentation is required and reasonable assistance is determined based on the nature of the impact of the temporary condition on a case-by-case basis. Students who ONLY require transportation should contact Health Services at 862-2856 (see more information below).

UNH students who are pregnant and are in a course in which they believe they are, or will be exposed to or come in contact with chemicals, resulting in the harm of the fetus, are encouraged to discuss alternatives with a professional staff member in DSS. A pregnancy is not considered a disability; however DSS may be able to work with these students to ensure reasonableness of requests and/or any modifications. Those students in laboratory courses are encouraged to view the UNH Laboratory Safety Plan (see Section 3, page 39-43).

Required Documentation:

Eligibility for temporary accommodations due to a temporary medical condition is dependent upon the nature of the condition including any symptoms (severity, duration and frequency) and its impact on learning. To qualify for temporary accommodations and services, a student must provide documentation of the temporary medical condition as determined by a licensed physician and/or other specialist (e.g., audiologist, psychologist, optometrist, and chiropractor) who is skilled in the diagnosis of such a medical condition. The following guidelines are provided to assist the physician or specialist in creating the documentation required in order to determine appropriate temporary accommodations and services. The documentation is to be typed on letterhead with the professional’s license number and must include the following: 

1. Completed Accommodations & Services Request form.
2. A clear statement of the temporary medical condition, present symptoms and the anticipated length of the condition.
3. Current impact the condition has on the students daily functioning and learning. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores if applicable.
4. Impact of any medications on the student’s ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
5. Some temporary medical conditions, due to their changing nature, may warrant additional up-dated documentation in the future. They may also become a permanent condition and rise to the level of a disability. All accommodations and services are always determined on a case-by-case basis.

For any questions or assistance, please feel free to contact Disability Services for Students at 603-862-2607.

Wildcat Access Van Service Procedures

The UNH Wildcat Access Van service is also available for students with temporary medical conditions who require transportation between classes due to the nature of their injury/condition. Students with temporary medical conditions who ONLY require transportation should contact Health Services (862-2856) for approval to use the Wildcat Access Van.