HELEN Journal will very soon be the official publication of PAOH. But we will still have close ties with the AADMD, along with a host of other respected and influential national disability organizations.

Representatives from around the world made it abundantly clear that the lack of competent healthcare for people with complex disabilities was a global experience. I was encouraged to disseminate my address so that it might ignite a much needed and much overdue conversation that might lead to corrective action.

Individuals with ID who are bullied may experience heightened rates of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

ANNIE’S PAGE will showcase stories of extraordinary individuals who’ve dedicated their lives to ensuring that people with disabilities are given every opportunity to excel.

There is an old medical adage that suggests, “there are 10,000 diseases and just 500 cures.”  The problem is to ascertain (with a high degree of certainty) which belongs to which patient. One of the tools available to the astute clinician is the “differential diagnosis.”

Discrepancies in health management routines have put individuals with disabilities at a significantly greater chance of developing obesity and secondary related conditions. As healthcare practitioners we have a responsibility to change this narrative.

There are literally thousands of journals published around the world that relate to the disability community.  It is virtually impossible to capture even a fraction of them. HELEN receives "stacks" of journals and selectively earmarks what we feel are "must read" articles of interest for our readers. It's a HELEN perk!

People with disabilities, including IDD, are one of several populations that are medically underserved. Although we’ve made some progress through laws like the ADA and cases like Olmstead, the pace of implementation continues to be lackluster.

Polydipsia is an abnormal urge to drink lots of fluids most or all the time. One medical condition that can cause people to feel excessively thirsty is uncontrolled diabetes.

Multiple surveys seem to consistently report that children who are neurodivergent are significantly more likely to face bullying than their peers. This still leaves us with the question of “why?” Even with the myriad of anti-bullying campaigns and attempts to raise awareness and address bullying, why does it continue? An unfortunate reality may be that bullying is as hard wired into us as a species as are cooperation and unity.