Communicating with special needs patients

Question 1

Disabilities

Answer 1

comes in many forms + can be either mental or physical in its effect on the patient

Question 2

Mentally disabled

Answer 2

pts range from those with minor learning difficulties through to elderly suffering from various forms of senile dementia (e.g Alzheimer’s disease), to those with congenital disease such as Down syndrome

Question 3

Some learning difficulties

Answer 3

exhibit a reduced level of general intelligence which present the following problems:

Question 4

Short attention span

Answer 4

so explaining trt plans + gaining consent is often difficult

Question 5

Poor memory retention

Answer 5

means that info + advice have to be repeated many times

Question 6

Careful explanation of trt

Answer 6

must be given in basic + non threatening manner

Question 7

Do not slip into ‘baby talk’

Answer 7

while communicating with these pts as that is particularly offensive to those with acquired learning difficulties