Prevalence of intestinal parasite infection among program participants of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities for 1986-87 was estimated at 7.3%, suggesting that management of parasitic infection is improving. Males and individuals with severe/profound mental retardation were twice as likely to have…

Seventy mentally retarded adults exposed to an educational program in preventive oral hygiene exhibited significant reduction in dental disease. (Author/CL)

Osteoporosis screening of 107 adults, ages 40 to 60, with mental retardation who attended community-based training centers found 21 percent had osteoporosis and 34 percent had osteopenia. The most significant predictor of lower bone mineral densities were Down syndrome, mobility status, and race. (Contains references.) (Author/DB)

Fifty-eight people (ages 2 to 66) receiving residential or other services for idiopathic mental retardation were evaluated for evidence of metabolic disease. Five (8%) demonstrated symptoms pointing to specific genetic metabolic defects, suggesting the need for evaluation of other similar populations with idiopathic mental retardation. (Author/DB)

This descriptive study of 25 patients (ages 3 to 35) with severe/profound mental retardation and self-injurious behavior (SIB) found that 7 patients had previously undiagnosed medical conditions likely to cause pain or discomfort. Six of the seven patients experienced decreased SIB with treatment of their medical conditions. Results support the…

Measurement of obesity among 364 adults with mental retardation indicated that rates of obesity were significantly higher among females than males; subjects with severe mental retardation had the lowest overall rates of obesity; and residents of a state-operated institution had lower obesity rates than group home, family, and Intermediate Care…