The Role of the Physiotherapist in Learning Disabilities

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Introduction

We are a group of 4th year BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy students at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. As part of our Contemporary and Emerging Issues in Physiotherapy Practice module, we have decided to complete an online learning resource. This resource is primarily aimed at senior physiotherapy students and newly qualified physiotherapists. This online wiki will explore the areas of communication and health literacy when working with patients who have learning disabilities. This resource will take approximately 10 hours to complete and will contribute to your CPD profile. Besides providing you with new information and researched evidence, there will be quizzes and opportunities for you to reflect.

Aims

The aims of this wiki are:

1.To provide final year physiotherapy students and new graduates with an online learning resource which develops their knowledge of learning disabilities and the common associated conditions that may require physiotherapy interventions.

2.To introduce final year physiotherapy students and newly qualified graduates to the skills and strategies which can be utilised within their practice to offer a more effective and comprehensive management of communication and health literacy to those with learning disabilities.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this online activity you should be able to:

1.Discuss the impact of learning disabilities on the person and their needs in relation to physiotherapy interventions.

2.Critically appraise the evidence base and some of the key approaches surrounding communication and health literacy within learning disabilities.

3.Summarise the characteristics of psychological impacts and the underlying neurophysiology of communication difficulties experienced by those with learning disabilities.

4.Critically reflect upon the possible challenges faced by physiotherapists when communicating with people who have learning disabilities.

5.Critically evaluate the role of the physiotherapist in the area of learning disabilities with reference to relevant literature.

6.Formulate stronger patient-therapist relationship by applying these effective communication methods in the practice setting.

Learning styles

Different individuals have different learning styles, thus as part of our consideration for you to make the most of your learning through this wiki, various activities and resources will be included to cover the different learning types and styles.

Are you aware of the different learning styles and which best suits you?

If you are not aware of your ideal learning style but would be interested in finding out, you can fill in a short questionnaire below, which will take approximately 5 minutes. This will then reveal your ideal learning style and most suited learning methods, which would be useful to know, not only throughout this wiki, but also as part of your future learning.

[[1] ]

The different learning styles are:

•Visual

•Aural/Auditory

•Read/write

•Kinaesthetic

•Multimodality

Blooms Taxonomy

Blooms taxonomy uses a hierarchy to establish the different learning levels. Figure 1 demonstrates the pyramid structure and highlights that a foundation needs to be part of the learning process before this learning can be applied to everyday practices, and evaluations can be made.

Learning outcomes for this wiki have been based around Bloom's model, and the higher learning levels have been selected to be appropriate for final year students and newly qualified physiotherapists. This is to allow a deeper understanding of the topics covered and to be able to apply these to everyday situations. [2]

Why is there a need for this Physiopedia page

•There is a gap in the literature.

•There is no current module in the BSc/MSc pre-reg courses on learning disabilities.

•Literacy and communication difficulties are experienced by many people with learning disabilities.

Activities Provided

There will be different activities provided throughout this resource which are aimed at the different learning types.

How this resource relates to the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF)

The KSF is a competence framework that supports professional development and career progression for professionals working in the NHS. It ensures that staff are supported so that they can carry out their job effectively.This physiopedia page aims to address some of the core components of the KSF required of a Band 5 Physiotherapist. By completing this online resource it will help you to achieve some of the key indicators.

Here is a list of the key indicators that you will achieve in this wiki:

Communication:

•Improves the effectiveness of communication through communication skills.

•Constructively manages barriers to effective communication.

Personal and people development:

•Takes responsibility for own personal development and takes an active part in learning opportunities.

•Evaluates the effectiveness of learning opportunities and alerts others to benefits and problems.

Quality:

•Acts consistently with legislation, policies, procedures and other quality approaches and encourages others to do so.

•Uses and maintains resources efficiently and effectively and encourages others to do so.

Equality and diversity:

•Recognises people’s rights and acts in accordance with legislation, policies and procedures.

•Acts in ways that: ◦Respect diversity. ◦View people as individuals.

Assessment and treatment planning:

•Selects appropriate assessment approaches, methods, techniques and equipment, in line with ◦Individual needs and characteristics. ◦Evidence of effectiveness. ◦The resources available.

•Monitors individuals during assessments and takes the appropriate action in relation to any significant changes or possible risks.

•Evaluates assessment findings/results and takes appropriate action when there are issues.

•Identifies individuals whose needs fall outside protocols / pathways / models and makes referrals to the appropriate practitioners with the necessary degree of urgency.

For more information please explore the KSF website:

[3]

Background

Definition and diagnostic criteria of learning disabilities

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defined a learning disability as ‘‘a condition of arrested or incomplete development of the mind, which is especially characterized by impairment of skills manifested during the developmental period, which contribute to the overall level of intelligence, i.e., cognitive, language, motor, and social abilities’’. However, this definition is outdated and implied the term ‘mental retardation’ which is deemed very offensive by many people today.

The current definition of a learning disability is defined by Valuing People, the 2001 White Paper report on the health and social care of people with learning disabilities.

“A learning disability includes the presence of:

•a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with;

•a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning);

•which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.”

The terms used to describe a person with a learning disability has been changing since the 1970s, from people with mental sub-normality to mental handicap to eventually learning disability in the 1990s. In other countries such as the United States (US), the terms ‘intellectual disability’ and ‘mental retardation’ are used instead. Do note that in the US, the term learning disability is used to describe specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia.

Internationally, three criteria have to be met before a learning disability can be identified or diagnosed:

1.Intellectual impairment (IQ<70);

2.Social or adaptive dysfunction combined with IQ; and

3.Early onset.

Learning disability versus learning difficulty

As mentioned earlier, different terminologies are used in different countries. It is important not to confuse learning disability with learning difficulty. In the UK, specific learning difficulties refers to conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia/developmental coordination disorder, dyscalculia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specific learning difficulties affect the way information is learned and processed. It is a neurological condition rather than a psychological condition and it does not affect intelligence. A student may be diagnosed with a learning difficulty if there is a big gap between achievement and ability or there is lack of achievement for age and ability. Dyslexia is a difficulty that affects 10% of the population. Dyslexia affects the way a person processes information, they may have difficulty with memory, organisation and sequencing. Dyspraxia is a disorder that affects fine and gross motor skills in children and adults. Dyscalculia is a difficulty understanding maths concepts and symbols. Finally, ADHD is a disorder that affects attention. A person with ADHD may be restless, inattentive, impulsive, erratic and have inappropriate, unpredictable behaviour. They may appear unintentionally aggressive.

Prevalence and demographics of learning disabilities

Global: Higher prevalence for developing countries, women, and children from poorer households and ethnic minority groups, but specific data are difficult to secure. One-fifth of the estimated global total population (110-190 million people) experience significant disabilities. Globally, one in 160 children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 1991 prevalence estimates for children seven to ten years old are that two in 1000 children are identified with cerebral palsy and four in 1000 with moderate to profound intellectual disability (IQ<50).

Europe: In the European Union (15 countries) 1.1 to 1.5 million people have a severe learning disabilities and 2.3 to 2.7 million people have a mild learning disability.

United Kingdom: 1.5 million people in the UK are thought to have a learning disability.

England: In 2011, it was estimated that there were 1,191,000 people have learning disabilities. This includes 905,00 adults with learning disabilities, of whom, 189,000 were known to learning disability services.

Scotland: In 2015, there were 27,218 adults with learning disabilities known to local authorities. This equates to 6.1 people with learning disabilities per 1,000 adults in the general population. 4,617 adults were identified as being on the autism spectrum. 70% of these adults had a learning disability.

Different levels of learning disability

The term ‘learning disability’ is a very broad description for this group of individuals, with the threshold set at an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of below 70 in the United Kingdom (UK). As such, terms such as profound, severe, moderate and mild are used in the UK to describe the different severity and levels of need which these individuals may have.

Profound: Individuals with an IQ score under 20, with severely limited understanding. They have difficulty communicating, require support with mobility and may need support with their behaviour. They may have multiple disabilities such as visual impairments, hearing impairments and difficulty with movement. They may also have extensive health needs, epilepsy and autism.

Severe: Individuals with an IQ score of 20-35. They often use basic words and gestures to communicate their needs. They may need a high level of support with activities of daily living. Some may have additional medical needs and require more support with mobility.

Moderate: Individuals with an IQ score of 35-50. They are able to communicate their day-to-day needs and wishes. They may need some assistance and guidance with their personal care and may require longer time to learn new skills.

Mild: Individuals with an IQ score of 50-70. They are able to hold a conversation and communicate their needs effectively. They are often independent in caring for themselves and have basic reading and writing skills. They may require support to understand complex ideas.

Factors resulting in learning disability

According to the British Institute for Learning Disabilities (2011), these are key factors of learning disability:

Chromosomal conditions: Chromosomes make up the genetic blueprint for humans. Everyone has 46 chromosomes in their cells. Abnormality in their chromosomes can result in a learning disability. Such conditions include Down’s Syndrome, Fragile-X syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Maternal factors: Infections such as Cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasmosis, factors such as diet deficiencies and excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause learning disability in the unborn child.

Metabolic disorders: A person’s metabolism controls all the chemical reactions in the body. Certain conditions affecting metabolism can result in a learning disability. For example, Phenylketonuria is a disorder that increases the levels of a substance called Phenylalanine in the blood. Phenylalanine is an amino acid which is normally obtained through the diet. If untreated the abnormally high levels of phenylalanine can cause severe learning disabilities.

Events during birth: A learning disability can occur if a baby’s oxygen supply is disrupted during labour, if a child is born extremely premature or becomes very ill after birth.

Events after birth: Some childhood infections such as encephalitis and meningitis can cause learning disabilities. A severe head injury can also cause a learning disability.

Common associated conditions

For the purpose of this online learning resource, Down’s Syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy will be explored.

Down’s Syndrome:

Down’s Syndrome occurs when there are three copies of chromosome 21 in the cells of the body. This is also known as trisomy 21. Having three copies of chromosome 21 disrupts the normal course of development and causes the characteristics of Down’s Syndrome and the associated health risks. Strong associations have been found between maternal socioeconomic status, maternal age and chromosome 21-nondisjunction, the cause of 95% of Down syndrome cases. There are three types of Down Syndrome: Trisomy 21 (95%), Translocation (4%) and Mosaic (1%). It is said that 750 babies are born with Down’s Syndrome each year in the UK. People with Down’s syndrome have distinct facial features such as a flat face, a small broad nose, upward slanting eyes and a large tongue, as well as common physical traits of low muscle tone, small stature and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. People with Down’s Syndrome have a higher risk of developing respiratory conditions, leukemia, heart defects, gastrointestinal obstruction, hearing loss and eye abnormalities. People with Down’s syndrome can have a moderate to severe learning disability and often develop much slower than their peers. They may also face communication difficulties, for example stuttering , which will be explored in later parts of the wiki.

Here is a video explaining the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and pathology of Down’s syndrome:

Autism

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. In the UK, it affects 700,000 people, that is more than 1 in a 100. It is known as a spectrum condition as it affects people differently and to varying degrees. Some people with autism will lead independent lives while others will need lifelong support. Some people have a learning disability (44%-55%) while others have average to above average intelligence. Some people also have mental health issues and other health conditions. Autistic people report that the world is a very overwhelming place for them. They find it difficult to understand and relate to other people. This makes it difficult for them to take part in everyday activities and social situations. It is a condition that cannot be cured. Autism is defined as affecting social communication and social interaction.

Social communication:

Autistic people have difficulties with interpreting verbal and non-verbal language, tone of voice and gestures. They have a literal understanding of language. They may find it difficult to understand facial expressions and jokes and sarcasm. Some autistic people may not speak while others may have limited speech. They may use alternate methods of communication such as sign language and symbols.

Social interaction:

This means that people with autism have difficulty ‘reading’ other people. They may appear insensitive, not seek comfort from other people, prefer time alone when overloaded by other people and appear to behave strangely. It may be hard for people with autism to make friends.

Autistic people may also have repetitive behaviours and specific routines. As the world is an unpredictable place for autistic people they tend to have a daily routine so they know what they are going to do every day. For example, they may want to travel to school/work the same way every day or eat the same meal for breakfast every day. Some autistic people have a highly-focused interest which starts from an early age. These can change or be lifelong. Some examples include, music computer games, train, movie or books. Finally, some autistic people may be hyper- or hypo-sensitive to sound, taste, touch, smells, lights, colours, pain or temperature. This can cause anxiety or on the other hand they may be fascinated by certain lights or colours.

This short video illustrates the world from the view of an autistic person. Can you make it to the end?

Cerebral Palsy

Impact of a learning disability on the Individual

The impact of learning disability on the person’s life:

There is a wide spectrum of orthopaedic problems with learning disability, some as a result of the underlying condition and some others due to accidents.

Individuals with learning disability (LD) are exposed to higher risk of injuries more than the general population. It has been shown in Denmark, US and Australia that adults with learning disability are at higher risk of death compared to general public.. These include deaths from accidents, falls, burns, drug toxicity and choking (Durvasula., 2002). Finlayson et al (2014) carried out a study to investigate injuries in 511 adults affected by LD in the UK for 12 months and the result showed that they were twice likely to get injured more than others; with falls found to be the most common reason of injury (accounting 55% of all injuries)..

In addition, people affected by learning disability are slower in learning certain skills than others and therefore need more assistance in several aspects of their lives. This is influenced by the severity of the disability which varies from mild to profound (FB foundation website).

Researches have indicated the increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders among people with learning disabilities compared to general population. According to WHO, the prevalence of psychiatric and behavioural disorders is at least three times greater in learning disability individuals in comparison to unaffected population.. These disorders include:

1.Affective (mood) disorders: depressive episodes, recurrent depressive disorder, cyclothymia, manic episodes, bipolar affective disorders and persistent mood disorder.

2.Anxiety, stress related disorders: phobic anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, reaction to severe stress and adjustment disorders.

3.Stress related disorders: The people affected with learning disability are more vulnerable to physical, sexual and emotional abuse, therefore more likely to complain of stress-related disorders.

4.Personality disorders: The prevalence of diagnosed personality disorders in learning disability individuals has varied from 22% to 92%, showing that majority of the learning disability population are presenting with personality disorders such as paranoia, schizoid, antisocial, anxious and dependent personality disorders.

5.Dementia: The prevalence of people with Down Syndrome is in the same level as the general population over the age of 65 but in Down Syndrome, dementia appears in earlier age. This explains the impact of learning disability on occurrence of dementia.

Health risks of people with learning disabilities:

•Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death in people with learning disabilities (14-20%).

•Respiratory disease is much higher in people with learning disabilities and is thought to be leading cause of death (46%-52%).

•The prevalence of dementia is much higher in people with learning disabilities compared to the general population.

•Epilepsy is thought to be 20 times higher in people with learning disabilities. Uncontrolled epilepsy can have a negative effect on a person’s quality of life and mortality.

•Sensory impairments: people with learning disabilities are 8-200 times more likely to have a vision impairment and 40% are reported to have a hearing impairment compared to the general population.

•Physical impairments: Adults who are non-mobile have an increased mortality rate than if they were mobile. A study in the Netherlands reported that people with learning disabilities are 14 times more likely to have a musculoskeletal condition.

•People with learning disabilities are also at an increased risk of oral health problems, dysphagia, diabetes, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, osteoporosis, constipation and endocrine disorders.

•People with learning disabilities have personal health risks such as:

◦Less than 10% of adults in supported living eat a balanced diet.

◦>80% of adults with learning disabilities engage in levels of physical activity below the Department of Healths minimum recommendation.

◦People with learning disabilities are more likely to be either underweight or overweight/obese.