The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to explore how novice occupational therapy assistants begin to understand their profession, form practice beliefs, and subsequently select and initiate certain treatment methods and approaches with clients. The primary source of data for this study was obtained via semi-structured…

Little research has been published investigating the experiences of physical and emotional support for children with disabilities in the Australian school context. The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore how children with disabilities experienced support when they were bullied at school. Qualitative interviews with 10 children, aged…

Various interventions have been developed to promote student individualized education program (IEP) participation. Although they are generally endorsed by educators and researchers, critics argue that interventions to promote self-determination and IEP participation may be counter to the values of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD)…

Spina bifida, a congenital physical disability, is indirectly associated with difficulties in scholastic achievement, social development, and self-determination. Environment can have an impact on psychosocial development and impede functioning academically, socially, and vocationally. Counselors must be aware of the societal atmosphere to identify…

In this article Carolyn Blackburn who is currently project officer for the Training and Development Agency for Schools and Teresa Whitehurst who is a research and development officer at Sunfield School in Worcestershire discuss how educationalists are being required to support an increasing number of children with new and emerging disabilities…

The nervous system contains some of the body's most metabolically demanding cells that are highly dependent on ATP produced via mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, the neurological system is consistently involved in patients with mitochondrial disease. Symptoms differ depending on the part of the nervous system affected. Although almost…

In addition to hypotonia and relative sarcopenia, patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) show reduced spontaneous physical activity and gait disorders. Scant evidence exists that daily muscle training increases their lean mass and physical activity levels. Whether adequate long-term physical training is feasible and effective in improving…

Aim: To study the value and reliability of an examination of neurological soft-signs, often used in Sweden, in the assessment of children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), by examining children with and without ADHD, as diagnosed by an experienced clinician using the DSM-III-R. Method: We have examined interrater reliability…

Background: Many people working in human services in Western countries suffer from burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased personal performance. Prevention of emotional exhaustion (the first phase of burnout) constitutes a great challenge because emotional exhaustion may cause increasing turnover rates in…

Every year, under the federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), millions of children with disabilities receive special services designed to meet their unique needs. Early intervention services are provided through the state to infants and toddlers with disabilities under three years of age and their families. For…

While our knowledge about the cognitive and social components of disability continues to grow, little is known about how the self specifically develops in adolescents with physical disabilities and whether a specific source is an indicator of self-determination with this population. Adolescents who have a physical disability may have difficulty…

This article presents a Relational Goal-Oriented Model of Service Delivery to Children with physical or mental health difficulties and their families. This research-informed and practice-relevant model provides a broad understanding of what effective service provision entails and requires from practitioners and service organizations. The model…

Our aim was to identify risk factors for falling and establish a method to assess risk for falls in adults with intellectual disabilities. In a cross-sectional survey of 144 Japanese adults, we found that age, presence of epilepsy, and presence of paretic conditions were independent risk factors. The Tinetti balance and gait instrument was…

Background: The population of older adults with intellectual disabilities is growing, creating new challenges for individuals, families and service providers. Although there has been increased research into the ageing process for adults with intellectual disabilities, there is little focused research investigating physical mobility. Materials and…

Understanding typically developing children's decisions about including classmates with disabilities in play activities is critical to understanding the development of social relationships between children with disabilities and typically developing peers. We examined children's ideas about, and explanations for, inclusion as a function of play…