51 Posts in Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities
From the devastation of 2017’s major hurricanes to the mass evacuations following fires of the Midwest, disasters disrupt continuity of care among people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). While the event may last mere hours, the effects stretch for weeks, if not months, afterward. In care settings, the ability for direct care professionals, behavioral therapists and...
October marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and the theme for 2017 is “Inclusion Drives Innovation,” reports the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The annual month of recognition helps raise awareness about issues affecting employees and employers of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) and celebrates the many and varied contributions of...
“I want to get married”
Endrew F. is a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He attended public school from preschool to the fourth grade. During those years, Endrew, or Drew, received special education services including an individualized education program (IEP). An IEP is federally mandated through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and...
People with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) in conjunction with mental illness (MI) are referred to as having a dual diagnosis. Individuals with an IDD are up to four times more likely to have some kind of psychiatric disorder than the general population, with as many as 40 percent experiencing symptoms associated with behavioral, mental and personality disorders. In the United...
Wait-listed health care is nothing new in the U.S., and tragedy has been highlighted repeatedly following long wait times. According to PBS.org, wait lists have been responsible for an undetermined number of negative health outcomes, including death, among veterans and people around the country.
When a person inhales contents from the stomach from the oropharyngeal area, such as food or liquids, into the trachea, it is called aspiration. Aspiration is a major medical concern for anyone because it may cause different types of pneumonia, infection, pulmonary emboli or other issues. Among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the risk of aspiration is heightened,...
Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, affect the lives of one in 26 people in the U.S. However, up to 10 percent of all people may suffer a seizure not related to a seizure disorder, explains the Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately, there is a stereotype implying that anyone who has a seizure automatically has epilepsy. This is simply not true, but seizures are serious health concerns that should not be...
An estimated 42 million people in the U.S. suffer from constipation, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). This makes constipation among the most common gastrointestinal (GI) problems people live with, aside from acid reflux. Unfortunately, specific statistics on the prevalence of constipation among those with intellectual disability are not...
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