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Biomedical subjects

J B Fotheringham

Publications and source records attributed to J B Fotheringham.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Living arrangement requirements for individuals with developmental disability and behavioural problems.

OBJECTIVE: To review the need for a wide range of living arrangements and community support services for individuals with developmental disability (DD) and behavioural problems and for their caregivers. METHODS: An analysis of a 1-year caseload of a consulting psychiatrist to 2 community support agencies for individuals with DD. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Of the individuals seen with DD and behavioural problems, one-half needed a different living arrangement, immediately in many cases. Living arrangements and support services are extensively deficient. Correcting these deficiencies requires the concerted involvement of local, provincial, and federal governments as well as of community groups and agencies.

Adult↗

Case report of a person with Down's syndrome and multiple personality disorder.

A case is presented of an individual with Down's syndrome and multiple personality disorder. No such cases were found in a review of the literature. Three other individuals with Down's syndrome are also discussed whose symptoms range from experiencing imaginary friends to experiencing borderline multiple personality disorder. In all these cases the imaginary friends became more evident and resistive of diversion as the levels of stress increased. We speculate that experiencing imaginary friends progresses to experiencing multiple personality disorder in some individuals as personal stress increases. These cases also indicate that limited cognitive development does not preclude individuals from presenting with imaginary friends or multiple personality disorder.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Survey of community adjustment of previously institutionalized developmentally disabled persons.

A survey was conducted of the community adjustment of 108 developmentally disabled (mentally retarded) persons who had spent at least three years in an institution in southeastern Ontario. On average, they had resided 3.5 years in the community, were 40 years of age, with a mental age of five years and a median IQ of 41, and most had one or more moderate to severe physical disabilities. During their most recent year living in the community it was found that their daily living skills remained unchanged compared with their skill level in the year prior to community placement. As well, the community staff rated them as average in level of performance and amount of supervision required compared with others of similar ability. About one third were found to have a moderate to severe behavioural/psychiatric problem with aggressive disruptive behaviour being most frequent. Of the two-thirds capable of being interviewed, over three-quarters expressed satisfaction with their present living, work, education and recreation environment and had no desire to return to the institution. Most had few if any meaningful relationships with non developmentally disabled persons other than caregivers. Support agency staff and psychiatric consultants identified additional service needs for those with behavioural/psychiatric problems who may be placed in the community.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Autism: its primary psychological and neurological deficit.

Autism is a perplexing condition because of its unique presenting signs and high degree of variability. Evidence is presented that the basic underlying information processing disorder is a dysfunction of the appreciation of the emotional significance of incoming stimuli and attaching motivational value to the stimuli. It is proposed that this dysfunction occurs when the amygdaloid nucleus and/or its connections are disrupted, resulting in the variability of the presentation of this syndrome among individuals. Herpes simplex encephalitis sometimes results in signs of autism. The virus has a predilection to attack specific areas of the brain, which provides information on the probable underlying neurological dysfunction in autism.

Autistic Disorder↗