physical health

Optometrists who rely on auto-refractors could be losing vital skills for preserving eye health in individuals with Down’s syndrome and other learning disabilities, according to research.

Everyday life can present real challenges for people living with complex learning disabilities, even more so when health conditions such as diabetes come into play. But with determination, creativity and perseverance from providers and staff, service users can achieve their potential and have a good quality of life, as CMG’s chief executive, Peter Kinsey, explains.

A severe lack of understanding and research into the needs of people with learning disabilities and epilepsy is placing them at risk, according to experts from the University of Hertfordshire.

Eye health experts have called for a national scheme of longer, tailored sight tests for people with learning disabilities who are more likely to suffer problems or need glasses.

Cancer and coronary heart disease rates are a third lower in people with learning disabilities compared to the general population, but this may be because medical staff are missing the signs and not diagnosing them, research has found.

A new health toolkit, written and developed by a team of nurses that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities on a day-to-day basis has been launched.

Nearly 4 in 10 pupils attending special schools have no history of eye tests, which means that thousands of children are potentially missing out on the eye care they need, according to new research by national sight loss and disability charity SeeAbility.

A groundbreaking headset designed to improve speech and auditory processing, has received the best ICT Special Educational Needs Solution at the world’s leading showcase of education technology solutions, the BETT Show.

A new resource about cervical screening (smear tests) has been launched to try and address the poor uptake of screening for women with learning disabilities.

A report on research carried out for the RNIB and SeeAbility by the Learning Disabilities Observatory. [28-Jun-2011]