Prevention

Everyone’s health needs should be included in the healthcare system, and people with intellectual disabilities deserve to have access to a healthcare environment that best addresses their specific health needs.

To address the high rates of mental distress among adults with disabilities, the CDC posted helpful resources, including recommendations for people with intellectual disabilities from Special Olympics.

Special Olympics Chief Health Officer, Dr. Alicia Bazzano, MD, PhD, MPH, explains why people with intellectual disabilities have a higher risk of diabetes than the general population and how Special Olympics is addressing that gap.

My name is James Kropp, and I am a Special Olympics athlete competing in bocce and bowling. I have won many medals, including a gold in bocce.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities gives people with intellectual disabilities (ID) the inalienable right to health care of the highest standards. In a similar vein, a person with ID is not inherently unhealthy.

Fitness is an important component of a healthy lifestyle for everyone. For athletes, a good fitness routine can help them perform at the highest level during every competition while feeling confident.

Mallory Morris is a twenty-four year old Special Olympics who competes in volleyball, basketball, softball, and track and field in her hometown of Manhattan, Kansas.