Identification of trauma-related symptoms in pediatric patients with intellectual disabilities in the primary care setting
Andrea Johnson, MD
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow (PGY-5)
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences | University of Colorado School of Medicine
What is the goal of the project?
Studies indicate that children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities have both a higher rate of maltreatment as well as an increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD often goes undetected in people with intellectual disabilities, and pediatric primary care providers may have unique opportunities for early detection in children and adolescents. The goal of this quality improvement project is to increase pediatricians’ awareness of the presentation of trauma-related symptoms in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Additional goals include assessing barriers to evaluation and recognition of trauma symptoms and increasing pediatricians’ confidence in detecting these symptoms.
What is involved in the study?
A survey will be distributed to ambulatory pediatricians by email. This survey will include questions about the participants’ typical assessment of trauma-related symptoms in patients with intellectual disabilities, barriers to evaluation and recognition of trauma symptoms, and confidence in recognizing trauma-related symptoms in this population. An educational handout on PTSD in patients with intellectual disabilities will be sent to participants who indicate interest. This will be accompanied by a brief follow-up survey to identify any new or clinically useful information gained from the handout and re-assess confidence in recognizing trauma symptoms in this population.
What have you found so far (or expect to find)?
Expected outcomes include expanded knowledge about the presentation of trauma-related symptoms in pediatric patients with intellectual disabilities as well as increased confidence in recognizing these symptoms.
What does this study suggest?
Outcomes from this quality-improvement project will hopefully provide insight regarding current pediatric practices in this area as well as future directions for assessment in the primary care setting that may improve the detection of trauma symptoms in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities.
What are the next steps/future directions?
Continued research is needed regarding the presentation, assessment, and management of trauma-related symptoms in this population.