HEALTH-RELATED RESOURCES

FOR PEOPLE WITH IDD AND THEIR SUPPORTERS

BY CRAIG ESCUDE, MD, FAAFP, FAADM

With significant health disparities noted in people with IDD, it is important that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their supporters, and healthcare providers educate themselves on the different health risks that are more commonly seen in people with IDD and about what can be done to prevent serious complications.

Supporters and healthcare providers are often challenged in finding helpful information related to healthcare for people with IDD. As a physician who started practicing in this field in the 1990s, finding clinically relevant information about healthcare for people with IDD was challenging. Fortunately, over the past several years, more resources have been developed that relate specifically to healthcare issues and improving health equity for people with IDD. In this article, you'll find a listing of websites, tools, and training available to provide information and guidance to you, whether a family member, paid supporter, healthcare provider, or person with IDD.

BOOKS

Clinical Pearls in IDD Healthcare (replacingrisk.com/product/clinical- pearls) provides easy-to-understand and clinically relevant information to clinicians and supporters of people with IDD. The book is centered on "clinical pearls," which are small bits of free-standing, clinically relevant information based on experience or observation. They are part of the vast domain of experience-based medicine, and can be helpful in dealing with clinical problems for which controlled data does not exist.

You will find 1-2 page documents covering 55 health-related conditions commonly seen in people with IDD. Topics include: medical causes of adverse behavior, sexuality, quality of life, end-of-life care, dental care, polypharmacy, common preventable cause of illness, aging with IDD, and much more. The guide is used by physicians, supporters, nurses, and family members to gain an understanding of the many health issues that are more common in people with IDD. For family members, it can be helpful for self-education but

also as a means to provide concise information to physicians, who may appreciate additional clinical details related to IDD healthcare.

ELECTRONIC LEARNING COURSES

For clinicians looking to receive additional training in IDD Healthcare, the Curriculum in IDD Healthcare (replacingrisk.com/cur- riculum-in-idd-healthcare-elearn) is a web-based Continuing Medical Educationapproved eLearning course that teaches the fundamentals of IDD healthcare that were likely not taught in clinical training programs. It's a 6 module, self-paced course that has been studied and shown to significantly improve clinicians' clinical confidence in providing healthcare to people with IDD. It's currently used in medical and nursing schools, and by practicing clinicians throughout the United States.

The Fatal Five (replacingrisk.com/store) eLearning courses are excellent programs that teach learners about the top preventable causes of illness and death in people with IDD. The specific topics covered in these 7-module courses include discussions about aspiration, dehydration, seizures, bowel obstruction, sepsis, and gastroesophageal reflux, as well as a discussion on knowing when to act to avoid serious complications. The Fatal Five Fundamentals is geared to teach direct support professionals and family members about these topics. The Fatal Five Advanced course teaches about the same conditions at a more clinical level, which is great for nurses.

WEBSITES

Special Olympics (resources.specialolympics.org/health?locale=en) has a webpage dedicated to health resources for people with IDD. Topics include Health Promotion, Fitness, Health Smiles (dentistry), and many other health and wellness resources.