Allied health interventions for psychiatric disorders
Consider referring people with developmental disability to allied health services to address skills deficits and other social and psychological factors that contribute to psychiatric disorders; see Risk factors for psychiatric disorders in people with developmental disability .
Note: Where modifiable, factors that contribute to psychiatric disorders in people with developmental disability should be addressed.
Skills deficits that may benefit from allied health interventions include:
- communication difficulties (can impede ability to articulate distress to others); see also Communicating with a person with developmental disability
- difficulties with daily living skills (can impact on self-esteem and quality of life)
- poor social skills (can lead to isolation)
- poor self-soothing and problem-solving skills (can increase emotional distress)
- impaired mobility.
For useful allied health referrals for people with developmental disability, see Nursing, allied health and other referrals for people with developmental disability. Some states have specialist intellectual and developmental disability multidisciplinary services or teams; for examples, see Specialist multidisciplinary clinics and services for people with intellectual or developmental disability. See also Psychological therapies for psychiatric disorders.