Oral motor difficulties in children and young people with learning disabilities can lead to saliva overflow, commonly called drooling. With young people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, this can increase the risk of inhaling saliva, food, or fluids into the lungs. Our friends at the Dental Elf came across this systematic review of interventions [read the full story…]
Storytelling has a key role to play in a development and the extension of storytelling to people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) as an individualised activity, has been increasingly undertaken emphasising the sensory experience and the potential for social interaction. The authors of this study appear generally positive to the approach, although the [read the full story…]
Speech and language therapy for adults with a learning disability is concerned with supporting people who have disorders of communication or difficulties with swallowing. Support is developed and designned on an individualized basis following detailed assessment and diagnosis although support and training for carers can be an important part of the support strategy. The NHS [read the full story…]
The authors of this review were interested in empirical evidence for presumptions that children with disabilities are at increased risk for child maltreatment, and that parents with disabilities may be more likely to perpetrate child abuse and neglect. From the findings of the review, the authors conclude that the evidence for any relationship between child [read the full story…]
People with learning disabilities are living longer. A recent update of the estimates of need for social care services by the learning disabilities public health observatory (IHAL 2012) suggested that by 2030 the number of adults aged 70+ using social care services for people with learning disabilities will more than double. Some years ago, the [read the full story…]
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is a tallking therapy which aims to help people to solve problems through a systematic goal-oriented process. existing NICE guidelines recommend CBT for a number of mental health issues. A recent review of the evidence on the potential of CBT as a treatment option for people with learning disabilities (Taylor et [read the full story…]
Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is about brief interventions, focusing on solutions, rather than on the presenting problems. The early development of the therapy was based on the notion that even for people suffering chronic problems, there are periods when the difficulties do not occur or are less intense. It was posited by early pioneers of [read the full story…]
There has been concern about the rate of use of antipsychotic mecdication for people with learning disabilities for some time. We have posted a number of studies which have raised questions about efficacy and rate of use here on this blog. The authors of this study were concerned to look at prescription rates in people [read the full story…]
Sleep problems in young people with learning disabilities have been explored in a number of studies, particularly in relation to the impact on families and supporters, but there is relatively little in the literature about the impact of sleep problems on older people with learning disabilities. The researchers in this Dutch study wanted to look [read the full story…]
Following the allegations of abuse uncovered by the BBC panorama programme, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has been involved in a targeted programme of 150 unannounced inspections of hospitals and care homes that care for people with learning disabilities. The programme is designed to identify whether people with learning disabilities are getting safe and appropriate [read the full story…]
