Attitudes of healthcare staff in the treatment of children and adolescents with intellectual disability: A brief report

Abstract

Background Children with an intellectual disability (ID) have complex health needs that extend beyond the expected cognitive deficits, affecting a myriad of developmental domains. These children frequently receive inadequate health care such that their needs remain poorly managed.Methods Staff from the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (N = 160) completed a survey on attitudes, experiences, and training satisfaction when working with patients with ID. The 48-question needs analysis survey was distributed electronically to staff from a variety of disciplines and experience levels.Results Although staff considered themselves broadly competent in caring for children with ID, they were less confident in specific skills, such as managing associated challenging behaviours in the clinic. As confidence in skills such as these decreased, the desire for further training increased.Conclusion This study emphasises the importance of providing accessible, high-quality professional development resources to further develop these skills.