Do Behavior Changes Herald Physical Illness in Adults with Mental Retardation?

A longitudinal study of 62 individuals with profound mental retardation was conducted to determine if direct care staff can identify behavior change prior to identifying symptoms of acute illness. Results indicate that staff were able to notice changes in sluggishness prior to the onset of illness. Self-care behavior was of borderline significance and there was no significant change in eight behavior dimensions (vocalizations, peer conflict, stereotypy, aggression, self injurious behavior, restlessness, distractibility, and depression). This finding should alert physicians and care-givers to the importance of prompt response to symptoms. Reliance on behavioral observation of direct care staff is not always sensitive enough to pick up changes in health status in less restrictive residential environments.

[1]  C. Larson,et al.  The health status of mild to moderate intellectually handicapped adolescents. , 2008, Journal of mental deficiency research.

[2]  J. E. Hand.  Report of a national survey of older people with lifelong intellectual handicap in New Zealand. , 2008, Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR.

[3]  A. Crocker.  Expansion of the Health-Care Delivery System , 1992 .

[4]  McDonald Ep.  Medical needs of severely developmentally disabled persons residing in the community. , 1985 .

[5]  K. Strassburger,et al.  Provision of health care for persons with developmental disabilities living in the community. The Morristown model. , 1988, JAMA.

[6]  Rubin Il.  Health care needs of adults with mental retardation. , 1987 .

[7]  B. King,et al.  Psychiatric consultation in severe and profound mental retardation. , 1994, The American journal of psychiatry.

[8]  P. Cotten,et al.  Comparing elderly mentally retarded and non-mentally retarded individuals: who are they? What are their needs? , 1981, The Gerontologist.

[9]  Paris A. DePaepe,et al.  Medical Conditions, Level of Care Needs, and Health-Related Outcomes of Persons with Mental Retardation: A Review , 1991 .

[10]  A. McElduff,et al.  Medical disorders of adults with mental retardation: a population study. , 1995, American journal of mental retardation : AJMR.

[11]  A. Crocker,et al.  The medical care of mentally retarded persons in public residential facilities. , 1978, The New England journal of medicine.

[12]  D. Dean,et al.  Meeting the needs for health services of persons with mental retardation living in the community. , 1990, American journal of public health.

[13]  Merker El,et al.  Medical care of the deinstitutionalized mentally retarded. , 1984 .

[14]  D. Diamond.  Medical care of the mentally retarded. , 1982, Pediatric annals.

[15]  M. Janicki,et al.  Residential, health, and social service needs of elderly developmentally disabled persons. , 1984, The Gerontologist.

[16]  C. K. Lee,et al.  Medical conditions underlying increasing mortality of institutionalized persons with mental retardation. , 1986, Mental retardation.

[17]  G. Hildreth,et al.  Elderly Persons with Mental Retardation: An Exceptional Population with Special Needs , 1993, The International Journal of Aging & Human Development.

[18]  R. Edgerton,et al.  Health care for aging people with mental retardation. , 1994, Mental retardation.

[19]  E. McDonald.  Medical needs of severely developmentally disabled persons residing in the community. , 1985, American journal of mental deficiency.

[20]  S. Garrard.  Health services for mentally retarded people in community residences: problems and questions. , 1982, American Journal of Public Health.

[21]  K. Day,et al.  Mental and physical health and ageing in mental handicap: a review. , 2008, Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR.