Learning disability and Safeguarding

Question 1

List some pre-natal causes of intellectual disability

Answer 1

• Genetic syndromes e.g. Down’s syndrome, fragile X syndrome
• Other syndromes e.g. spina bifida
• Environmental factors e.g. foetal alcohol syndrome, maternal infections

Question 2

State what is meant by an intellectual / learning disability

Answer 2

Reduced intellectual ability
Difficulty with everyday activities (problems in 2 or more areas of daily function)

• IQ below 70
• Starts before age of 18

Question 3

State what is meant by a learning difficulty

Answer 3

Specific learning difficulties (SpLD):
- Affect the way someone learns and processes information
- They are neurological
- Usually run in families
- Not aren’t related to intelligence

Can have significant impact on education and learning e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD

Question 4

List some peri-natal causes of intellectual disability

Answer 4

• Intrauterine infections e.g. toxoplasmosis
• Environmental factors e.g. hypoxia, premature birth

Question 5

List some post-natal causes of intellectual disability

Answer 5

• Biomedical e.g. epilepsy, meningitis, measles (other infectious diseases)
• Environmental factors e.g. head injury, non-accidental injury, malnutrition

Question 6

List some issues for patients with intellectual disability in managing their healthcare

Answer 6

• Difficulties communicating / recognising symptoms
• Issues in capacity to consent
• Non-compliance with treatment
• Increased sensitivity to medication / side effects

Question 7

Outline the role of mental capacity advocates

Answer 7

• Locally commissioned, independent advocates
• Represent the interests of people who lack capacity
• Must be involved in serious medical treatment or changes in accommodation

Only become involved once there is an established lack of capacity

Question 8

State the 3 factors of the Wing and Gould’s triad in autism

Answer 8

1. Social spectrum issues
2. Restricted activities / imagination
3. Communication spectrum

Question 9

List the 3 core criteria for learning disability

Answer 9

1. Significant impairment in IQ
2. Significant impairment of adaptive/social functioning
3. Onset before 18 years old

Question 10

List some ways in which people with learning disabilities are discriminated in healthcare

Answer 10

• Diagnostic overshadowing (attributing symptoms to the person’s learning disability or behavioural problems)
• Attitudes and assumptions (presuming that their experiences/feeling aren’t valid)
• Institutional discrimination (policies/procedures don’t account for the needs of the person)

Question 11

State the 6 principals of safeguarding

Answer 11

• Empowerment (encourage patient choice)
• Prevention (recognising signs of abuse)
• Protection (mitigating risks of abuse)
• Proportionality (actions in proportion to situation)
• Partnerships (working with others as a team to find solutions)
• Accountability (take responsibility for making a safeguarding referral)