Being a child with intellectual disabilities in hospital: The need for an individualised approach to care (04 October 2023)

Summary

This study in the Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities aimed to  share rich detail of the emotional and physical impact on children and young people with intellectual disabilities of attending hospital, from their own and their parent's perspective. The authors found that the multiple and compounding layers of complexity surrounding hospital care of children and young people with intellectual disabilities resulted in challenges associated with loss of familiarity and routine, undergoing procedures, managing sensory overload, managing pain and having a lack of safety awareness. They concluded that an individualised approach to care is needed to overcome these issues.