People with intellectual disability told us they often felt cut out of their own health appointments, as healthcare practitioners spoke to their support person or family instead of to them.
The disability royal commission was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to investigate the realities of life for disabled Australians. But it missed three critical areas in need or urgent reform.
Developmental delay is viewed clinically as a temporary state where children are slower to develop than expected. It is most often used for children under five.
We spoke to young people with intellectual disability. They had the same goals for life after high school as most people their age. But they felt ‘stuck’.
Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. Using short bits of DNA to fix improperly transcribed genes may one day be a potential treatment option.
The lack of sexuality education, and common myths and misconceptions about the sexuality of people with intellectual disability can lead to caregivers being reluctant ‘jailers’.
People with intellectual disabilities face additional barriers to access and participation in community, which means their voices are often missing from LGBTQ+ events.
People with intellectual disability told us they want better transport, employment and better maintained public toilets and pedestrian crossings. But many said their opinions were rarely sought.
The Attica uprising marked a milestone in the prisoners’ rights movement. Many of the grievances aired in 1971 are still relevant to today’s incarcerated population.
Even before the pandemic, disabled people reported feeling socially isolated and lonely. Their plight has only been exacerbated by responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Self-isolation and physical distancing only add to the problems for mothers with an intellectual disability who are at risk of failing to get the help they need.
The government has made several announcements to safeguard aged care residents and those in hospitals, but we’re yet to see the same attention paid to the one in five Australians with a disability.
Sudden changes to routine and care might worsen mental health conditions, like anxiety, in autistic people or those with other intellectual disabilities.