title: When people with developmental disabilities present to community practitioners.
abstract: This article describes the problems involved in the global medical assessment of persons with developmental disabilities who present with behavioral changes. Solutions offered include anticipating the difficulties in treating this group and taking steps to insure adequate information is provided. Community providers are cautioned against assuming behavioral changes in this population are psychiatric in nature. Case examples illustrate the quality of life improvements that can result from relatively minor medical interventions in persons initially thought to have psychiatric difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Rosewood Center, Owings Mills, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hovermale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003158:Community Psychiatry / Q000379:methods*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life