As the life expectancy of people with intellectual disability (ID) increases, it is becoming necessary to understand factors affecting survival. However, predictors that are typically assessed among healthy people have not been examined. Predictors of all-cause mortality, including blood, urine, anthropometry, and nutritional indices, were…

A large number of patients with epilepsy and intellectual disability take medication, amongst which antiepileptic and psychotropic drugs, often simultaneously. Certain antiepileptic drugs have mood-stabilizing properties, e.g. carbamazepine, valproic acid and lamotrigine. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of these…

Two studies were conducted to develop and evaluate an instrument intended to identify and measure personal values, values attainment, and persistence in the face of barriers. Study 1 describes a content validity approach to the construction and preliminary validation of the Bull's Eye Values Survey (BEVS), using a sample of institutionalized…

Behavior problems such as aggression, property destruction, stereotypy, self-injurious behavior, and other disruptive behavior are commonly observed among adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and epilepsy residing at state-run facilities. However, it is unknown how these populations differ on behavior…

Aim: To establish any differences between patients with and without a diagnosis of personality disorders, being treated in a secure inpatient service for offenders with intellectual disability (ID) in the UK. Method: A cohort study involving a selected population of people with ID and offending behaviours. Results: The study included a total of…

Background: Despite progress in the process of deinstitutionalisation, very little is known about the health conditions of people with intellectual disability (PWID) who live in large institutions and PWID living in small residential services, family homes or independent living within the community. Furthermore, there are no international…

Inappropriate or inadequately documented medication for patients in mental retardation institutions is a major medical and economic problem. Within a 127-patient ward, 41 patients were treated with anticonvulsants. Of these patients, 24 had no documented indications for usage. (Author)

This study found a high incidence of nontraumatic fractures in adults with developmental disabilities living in a state-run facility, a 7.3% incidence among 391 adults. Factors associated with fractures included use of antiepileptic medication. Although bone mineral density (BMD) by heel ultrasound did not predict fracture, values were much lower…

Five responses to Alvarez (EC 220 238) comment on discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs with mentally retarded patients. (DB)

Antiepileptic drug prescriptions were analyzed for 337 institutionalized individuals with mental retardation, over 54 months. Results indicated decreasing numbers of individuals receiving (1) more than 2 antiepileptic drugs concurrently, and (2) barbiturates. Over 90% of a group undergoing barbiturate taper maintained the same or improved seizure…

A collection of writings by 17 authors, the text includes the following discussions: general principles of diagnosis and management of mental retardation, neurologic evaluation of the infant and child, psychological evaluation, educational information, and treatment of pseudoretardation, communicative disorders, and metabolic and endocrine causes.…

Organized in question and answer form, the book provides an introduction to the field of special education in England and Wales. Services are discussed and outlined for children who are educationally subnormal (mentally handicapped), delicate, physically handicapped, maladjusted, epileptic, hearing impaired, visually impaired, defective in speech,…

The guidebook is introduced by general observations on the Scandinavian countries concerning history, social policy, medicine, mental health, and psychiatric diagnosis. Discussed individually for Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are the following areas: mental health programs and statistics; mental illness programs, regional, hospital, aftercare,…