IDD Software for New Levels of Efficiency and Effectiveness 

Providing Services to People With IDD

IDDs are typically present from the time someone is born. They affect the trajectory of the person's development in multiple aspects, including emotional, physical and intellectual.

People with IDD may have an intellectual disability, which begins before age 18, or a developmental disability, a broader term that encompasses both physical and intellectual disabilities. Each individual's situation is unique, requiring a customized plan. For some clients, an IDD may affect a single body system or part — for others, IDD can affect multiple systems. 

IDDs fall under specific categories based on the system or systems they impact. The most common include:

• Degenerative: Degenerative disorders can be present from birth, but more often a child appears to develop on schedule, then experiences disruptions in their development. Some individuals with a degenerative disorder may not show symptoms or signs of regression until adolescence. 
• Metabolic: Metabolic disorders affect how an individual processes food for growth and energy, which impacts brain and body function. Examples include congenital hypothyroidism and phenylketonuria.
• Nervous system: Nervous system disorders affect learning and intelligence by altering the function of the spinal cord, brain or nervous system. These disorders can be connected to other concerns, such as movement difficulties, language difficulties and seizures. Examples include autism spectrum disorders, fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome.
• Sensory: Sensory disorders affect how an individual's brain processes information through the five senses. There is some overlap between sensory disorders and nervous system disorders. For instance, some people with autism spectrum disorder also have sensory difficulties.

Developing a Life Plan

A unique feature of supporting people with IDD is the development of a life plan. The goal is to map out a way for an individual with IDD to live as independently as possible. Developing a life plan requires a holistic approach as well as IDD software with the functions required to optimize the plan.

While each individual's life plan can vary based on their age and services needed, the document will typically include:

• A list of the client's strengths
• A list of the client's goals
• A list of the client's preferences
• A list of the client's support and clinical needs, based on their assessment
• The client's habilitation goals
• A list of the services the client receives
• Back-up plans as needed

Life plans should not be set in stone, as the client's needs will change as they grow older or their support systems change. Providers need IDD software that is functional and adaptable based on each client's unique requirements. Cx360 is designed to fully meet this need and in use across thousands of lives.

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