With the beginning of a new year, many of us will make a commitment with ourselves to eat better, exercise more and have a healthier lifestyle. For most adults, the choice of whether or not to pursue a healthy lifestyle is a matter of personal choice and prioritizing with everything else going on in our lives.
Although it is important for all people to learn and make well informed choices they can make to improve their health, children and adults with developmental disabilities may need additional support to make these healthy lifestyle choices.
Healthy Eating
As a parent or guardian of a person with a developmental disability, it can be difficult to say “no”, especially to a person we love who already has so many challenges in life. Other people in the individual’s circle of influence may also contribute to the individual’s less than healthy eating habits. Well-meaning relatives or support staff may be more lenient in the way of unhealthy snacks or meals. Professionals working with individuals with disabilities may implement programs which encourage the use of highly desirable (but unhealthy) treats to help achieve a desired behavioral goal.
Motivating some children and adults with developmental disabilities to eat a healthier diet can also be a challenge. Some individuals may get stuck on eating the same unhealthy foods or may be resistant to trying something new. Others may already have strict dietary interventions which may limit the types of food they can eat.
Fitness
In the small volume of research that has been completed, studies have repeatedly shown that the fitness levels of people with developmental disabilities are much lower than those of the general population.
Adequate exercise can be a challenge for a person with a developmental disability. Many can’t meaningfully participate in team sports or lack the coordination, physical skill or motivation to play sports or do other physical activities. Some school age children with DD and other disabilities do not join their typical peers in gym or recess due to behavioral problems or sensory issues.
Good Health, Good Life
Despite these challenges, it is important to be creative and work with health and fitness professionals, especially when it comes to something as important as the health of a person you love or support. By making healthy lifestyle choices, the people you love and support will lower their risks for obesity and related diseases. Diseases and unexpected hospital stays which would be an additional challenge for a person with a developmental disability.
Next month, I’ll share some ideas of how to encourage the person you love or support to lead a healthier life.
Claudia Inés Pringles is the Developmental Disabilities Specialist for the Vermont Family Network and a parent of a daughter on the autism spectrum. She can be contacted at claudia.pringles@vtfn.org
