COVID-19 hospitalization, death tied to intellectual disability, obesity

Intellectual disability is second only to old age as a risk factor for COVID-19 death, and obesity is linked to coronavirus-related hospitalization and death, two new studies find. Deadlier than heart, kidney, lung disease The first study, led by researchers from Jefferson Health in Philadelphia and published late last week as a commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst, involved analyzing the medical records of 558,672 US COVID-19 patients from January 2019 to […]

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Person with a Disability

Employing people with disabilities is more than just about doing good; it’s about doing what’s doing good for your business. Here’s why: They’re Capable & Qualified People with disabilities are just like anyone else. They have strengths, weaknesses, talents and skills. They may have qualities and skills that you value in an employee. Dependability Commonly, people with disabilities are proud to have a job. They thrive on having a purpose and a daily routine; making […]

Often Overlooked In Pandemic Response Are People With Intellectual Disabilities

Peter Prater’s family wasn’t thinking about COVID-19 when the call came that he had been taken to the hospital with a fever. It was April, and the Tallahassee Developmental Center, where Prater lives, hadn’t yet had any COVID-19 diagnoses. Prater, 55, who has Down syndrome and diabetes, became the Florida center’s first known case, his family said. Within two weeks, more than half of the roughly 60 residents and a third of the staff had […]

In What Ways Will Schools Pay for Special Ed. Students Services

Since schools closed in March, Deborah Tomai has sat alongside her son, a 9-year-old with Down syndrome, as he made gains in class, developed as a reader, and grasped concepts, such as regrouping, in math class. But she struggles to keep him focused and motivated during his remote-learning sessions. One day, she left him unsupervised in front of his computer to take a phone call. When she came back minutes later, he was in their […]

Parent-teacher relationship in special education transforms during COVID

Distance learning for children with autism and ADHD: challenges and optimism Patricia Schetter’s youngest son is a high school senior, attending classes online like so many students this year due to COVID-19. Distance learning is a challenge for some students with autism, but there’s optimism, too. “He’s like, ‘Mom, I just want to go back to school. I want to be on campus with my friends,’ ” said Schetter, the coordinator of autism education initiatives […]