Clinical management of individuals with Intellectual Disability: The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic as experienced in a clinical and research center Research in Developmental Disabilities

Serafino Buono; Marinella Zingale; Santina Città; Vita Mongelli; Grazia Trubia; Giovanna Mascali; Paola Occhipinti; Enrica Pettinato; Raffaele Ferri; Catalda Gagliano; Donatella Greco

doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103856

Clinical management of individuals with Intellectual Disability: The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic as experienced in a clinical and research center Research in Developmental Disabilities

Res Dev Disabil. 2021 Mar:110:103856. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103856. Epub 2021 Jan 9.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁸ Unit of Psychology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁹ Unit of Neurology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹⁰ Unit of Neurology, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
¹¹ Unit of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero, 73, 94018, Troina, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oasi Research Institute of Troina (Italy) became an important hotbed for infection; in fact, 109 patients with different levels of Intellectual Disability (ID) tested positive for COVID-19. The procedures and interventions put in place at the Oasi Research Institute due to the COVID-19 pandemic are exhaustively reported in this paper. The description of the clinical procedures as well as remote/in person psychological support services provided to people with ID and their families are here divided into three different sections: Phase I (or Acute phase), Phase II (or Activity planning), and Phase III (or Activity consolidation). In each section, the main psycho-pathological characteristics of patients, the reactions of family members and the multidisciplinary interventions put in place are also described.

Keywords: COVID-19; Clinical management; Intellectual disability; Psychological intervention.

MeSH terms

Academies and Institutes
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Autism Spectrum Disorder / epidemiology
Autism Spectrum Disorder / psychology
Autism Spectrum Disorder / rehabilitation
COVID-19 / epidemiology*
COVID-19 / mortality
COVID-19 / physiopathology
COVID-19 / psychology
Child
Child, Preschool
Comorbidity
Developmental Disabilities / epidemiology
Developmental Disabilities / psychology
Developmental Disabilities / rehabilitation*
Disease Hotspot
Disease Outbreaks
Epilepsy / epidemiology
Female
Hospitals, Special
Humans
Hypothyroidism / epidemiology
Infant
Intellectual Disability / epidemiology
Intellectual Disability / psychology
Intellectual Disability / rehabilitation*
Italy
Male
Middle Aged
Mood Disorders / epidemiology
Mood Disorders / psychology
Mood Disorders / rehabilitation
Obesity / epidemiology
Overweight / epidemiology
Personality Disorders / epidemiology
Personality Disorders / psychology
Personality Disorders / rehabilitation
Psychosocial Support Systems*
Psychotic Disorders / epidemiology
Psychotic Disorders / psychology
Psychotic Disorders / rehabilitation
Respiratory Distress Syndrome / physiopathology
SARS-CoV-2
Severity of Illness Index
Telemedicine*
Young Adult