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Clinical Considerations and Resources for Youth Athletes with Intellectual Disability: a Review with a Focus on Special Olympics International

  • Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine (A Houtrow and M Fuentes, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review provides an overview of sports participation by youth athletes with intellectual disability (ID), focusing on activities offered by Special Olympics International (SOI). The review also describes SOI’s health initiatives, as awareness of the sports and health activities of SOI is critical for clinicians who serve youth with ID. SOI is the largest global public health organization for people with ID.

Recent Findings

2018 is the 50th Anniversary of SOI. For 50 years, SOI has been using the power of sport to break down barriers both on and off the field. From 2016 to 2020, SOI is focusing on Inclusive Health: the inclusion of people with ID in mainstream health policies and laws, programming, services, training programs, research, and funding streams (Special Olympics International 2018). This article summarizes recent SOI efforts in both sports competition and health initiatives. Data collected from SOI’s Healthy Athletes Initiative revealed obesity in 31.5% of youth with ID. Data also demonstrated concerns with flexibility in 71.3% of athletes and concerns with muscle strength in 56.5% of athletes. Results from medical coverage of the 2009 Special Olympics Great Britain Summer Games revealed musculoskeletal and skin concerns as the primary reasons for on-site sports coverage medical consultation.

Summary

Clinicians caring for youth with ID should be aware of the sport opportunities for this population and the health initiatives of SOI. Future research is needed on applying sports' medicine principles to youth athletes with ID. By including this article alongside an article on youth adaptive sports, the field of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine is demonstrating its commitment to all youth athletes.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    Priya Chandan

  2. Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Children’s Hospital of Chicago/McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Mary E. Dubon

  3. Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA

    Mary E. Dubon

  4. Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Division of Sports Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Mary E. Dubon

  5. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Mary E. Dubon

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  1. Priya Chandan
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Correspondence to Priya Chandan.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Chandan reports grants from American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD), grants from Special Olympics, and grant from WITH Foundation, outside the submitted work. Dr. Dubon reports spouse’s employment at and stock in Medstrat, and stock in Amazon outside the submitted work.

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All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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Chandan, P., Dubon, M.E. Clinical Considerations and Resources for Youth Athletes with Intellectual Disability: a Review with a Focus on Special Olympics International. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep 7, 116–125 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-019-0209-1

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