Introduction: Headache is one of the prevalent health problems that impose huge costs on economy. One type of the headache is cervicogenic headache caused by bad posture of cervical spine. To know the effect of corrective exercises on cervical headache by improving range of motion in joints and retraining specific postural muscles like anterior and deep flexor muscles of the neck.Materials and Methods: Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 individuals were randomly selected and divided into two groups; control (medicine) and interventional (exercises) groups with 15 participants in each group. A validated digital camera (Cannon A95 PowerShot) was used to determine Forward Head Posture (FHP). The landmarks of the FHP were marked by using white 12-mm markers that included earlobe, C7 spinous process, and acromion process. Patients performed stretching, strengthening, and corrective exercises after receiving training. The obtained data were analyzed by ANCOVA, Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.Results: The average difference in the scores of cervical headache in the experimental group was less than that in the control group which was statistically significant (P<0.001). Mean difference in the scores of cervical pain duration among experimental group was less than the control group and this difference was statistically significant, too (P<0.05).Conclusion: Corrective exercises had shown statistically significant effects on neck disability index, neck pain as well as on the pain intensity, its duration and frequency among office workers with FHP.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes chronic infection in human population, with high mortality. One of the high risk communities is mentally retarded children, who are institutionalized. Special conditions in these centers predispose children for HBV infection and transmission to healthy people. In this study our objective was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection among institutionalized mentally retarded children and study its associated risk factors.Materials and Methods: In this study, 250 mentally retarded children (younger than 14 years old) were included. They were living in 5 nursing institutions, located in different parts of Tehran. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was measured in the sera of these patients by ELISA method.Results: Among 250 children, 20 children (8%) were HBsAg positive. HBV infection in girls was more than boys (11% to 5.6%). Among the types of mental retardation, children with cerebral palsy had the highest positive result for HBsAg. The most HBV infection (28.5%) was seen in children with longest duration of being institutionalized (10 to 11 years). Vaccinated children were more HBsAg positive (8.7%) than non-vaccinated children (5.3%). However, no significant relationship was observed between any of these factors and HBsAg positivity.Conclusion: Despite improvement of people’s health condition and implementation of HBV vaccination, the prevalence of HBV infection is increased in institutionalized mentally retarded children, which highlights the need for active measures to reduce this infection among this high risk population.

Background: Patients with intellectual disabilities may be treated with antipsychotic medications for a variety of diagnoses. Use of this category of medication can increase prolactin levels and place the patient at risk for sexual dysfunction and lower bone mineral density. The proposed mechanism of action is affinity for the dopamine receptor. Use of bromocriptine, a dopamine receptor antagonist, was proposed to attenuate hyperprolactinemia.Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) review serum prolactin (PRL) elevations associated with the use of antipsychotic (AP) medications in an intellectually disabled adult population and (2) determine if any association existed between the level of elevation and AP used.Patients and Methods: Medical records for adult patients at two Oklahoma facilities for the intellectually disabled were reviewed to evaluate prolactin levels for individuals prescribed antipsychotics. A linear regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between prolactin levels with intellectual disability level, bromocriptine use, demographics, and antipsychotic.Results: 73 (n=53 males, n=20 females) patients met criteria. The average age was 41.2 years. Nearly 70% of the patients had severe to profound levels of disability.77% were prescribed second generation antipsychotics; 19% received first generation agents. Two variables, gender and bromocriptine use, were found to be significant predictors of prolactin levels. Mean prolactin level for females was 44 ng/mL (normal range: 4-30 ng/mL, males=4-23 ng/mL).Patients who did not receive bromocriptine had mean levels of 23 ng/ mL. No significant difference in prolactin levels was found for type of AP.Conclusions: Mean prolactin levels for females were significantly higher than for males. Both sexes were found to have higher-thannormal levels. Use of bromocriptine was associated with higher prolactin levels. In this population of patients, the type of AP used had no significance on prolactin levels.

Background: Sexual health is individuals’,ability to express their sexual needs within the framework of their society’, s values without being afraid of sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, violence and discrimination. Given the importance of sexual health in intellectually disabled adolescents, the present study was conducted to explore the sexual health challenges among the intellectually disabled adolescent girls. Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted on 48 participants including the parents, teachers, healthcare providers and managers who were selected through purposeful sampling, in Isfahan, Iran. Data was gathered using semi-structured in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and field notes. The collected data was analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: After data analysis, four sub-categories of “, adolescent’, s disability in understanding sexual matters and respecting social rules”, , “, the Comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and intellectual disability”, , cultural taboos on sexual issues”,and “, teachers’,inability to deal with issues related to adolescent’, s sexual health”,were extracted. These sub-categories together formed the main category of “, sexual health challenges''. Conclusion: Based on the results, designing comprehensive programs of sex education for intellectually disabled adolescent girls seems necessary. Also, empowering teachers to teach sexual health to these girls and their parents is of particular importance. Furthermore, the interaction between the school and parents to maintain the sexual health of intellectually disabled adolescent girls could have an effective role in decreasing the rate of sexual abuse/harassment and their involvement in sexual relationships.

Background: Caregiver burden is a multidimensional response to physical, psychological, emotional, social and financial stressors, usually associated with the experience of caring and can be objective or subjective. The objective of current study was to explore the caregiver burden among parents of hearing impaired and intellectually challenged children in Pakistan. Methods: A Comparative cross sectional survey was conducted on n=162 parents of hearing impaired (HI) and intellectually challenged (IC) children from July 2018 to February 2019. Convenient sampling technique was used to collect the data from Parents of hearing impaired and intellectually challenged children with age range 1-16 years in National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and Al-Farabi Special Education Institute Islamabad. Caregiver Burden Inventory was used to assess the caregiver burden. Results: The results showed a greater need for respite and other services in both groups. Parents of intellectually challenged children need more respite and other services as compared to hearing impaired children (60. 62± 11. 43 ver. 45. 74± 11. 20, p<0. 001). A total of 3 (4. 0%) parents of hearing impaired children reported rare need for respite and other services, 32(42. 7%) reported sometimes and 40(53. 3%) reported frequent need. On the other hand 12(13. 8%) parents of intellectually disabled children reported sometimes, 66(75. 9%) reported quite frequently and 9(10. 3%) nearly always a greater need for respite and other services. Conclusion: The parents of hearing impaired or intellectually challenged children face significant burden of their disabled child. In addition, due to cognitive deficits that lead to behavioural abnormalities the parents of intellectually challenged children face more burden and stress.

Background and Purpose: Research indicate the relationship between birth order and intelligence quotient (IQ), generally suggesting that the first-borns have a higher IQ. This study aims to investigate the relationship between birth order and IQ in the children of families with intellectually disabled children. Method: This research was a fundamental study in terms of its goal and a descriptive and casual study in terms of gathering data. The study population included all the families with intellectually disabled children in Tabriz in 2016. The sample included 194 families selected by cluster sampling from this population. Data were collected by researcher-made questionnaire and Raven's intelligence test. Correlation and One-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Results: Data analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the birth order and IQ in families with three and four children, whereas the difference was significant in families with five children (P<0. 04). Also, results showed that there was a significant relationship between the birth order and IQ of the children, in such a way that the first-borns have the higher mean IQ, while second-born and third-born children have the lowest IQ. Conclusion: In short, contrary to research literature and birth order theories that claim superiority of intelligence in first-born children, this research did not establish such a relationship. Results showed that birth order effects are a function of family size and birth order has no pure effect on the intelligence of children.

Background: The fertility rate has declined in many countries over the past decades. Fertility intention is the determinant of fertility behavior. Various factors may affect the fertility intention of couples with no or healthy children. However, some parents may also have children with intellectual disabilities that affect their childbearing. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to identify predictors of fertility intention in parents with educable intellectually disabled children. Materials and Methods: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 193 parents with educable intellectually disabled children living in Isfahan. Sampling was implemented using clustering and the classification method from February to July 2019. Data were collected through a self-report questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 20, logistic regression, and independent t-tests. Results: Approximately 83.9% of participants had negative fertility intentions. Predictors of fertility intention were perceived behavior control (95%CI: 1.14- 1.42; p = 0.001; OR = 1.28), attitude (95%CI: 1.06- 1.24; p = 0.001; OR = 1.14) and subjective norm (95%CI: 1.08- 1.33; p = 0.001; OR = 1.20), respectively. On the other hand, the perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor. The son preference was higher in parents with positive fertility intentions (p < 0.05). Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, it seemed that factors such as perceived behavior control, attitude, and subjective norms affected fertility intention in parents with intellectually disabled children. Therefore, it is suggested to gain knowledge about the roles of these predictors and counsel parents to choose contraceptive methods or encourage them in childbearing.

Background and Objectives: Mental retardation is associated with a lack of growth in various physical, mental, developmental, social, and educational dimensions. Many variables, such as emotional adjustment, psychological well-being, and spiritual beliefs are related to the hope of mothers with mentally retarded children. This research aimed to predict hope based on emotional adjustment, psychological well-being, and spiritual beliefs in mothers with mentally retarded children. Methods: The current research was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of the research included 375 mothers with mentally retarded children who were selected from seven special education schools, occupational therapy centers, and an autism center in Qom City, Iran, in the 2022-2023 academic year. Convenience sampling was used, and Morgan’s table determined the sample size. Data collection tools were the Schneider et al.’s hope questionnaire, Bell’s emotional adjustment questionnaire, Riff’s psychological well-being questionnaire, and George’s spiritual beliefs questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26, employing Pearson’s correlation test and multiple regression analysis. Results: The results of the regression analysis showed that all three variables of social adjustment, psychological well-being, and spiritual beliefs were significant predictors of hope (P<0.05). Specifically, emotional adjustment contributed 13.4%, psychological well-being contributed 12%, and spiritual beliefs contributed 13.8% to the variance in hope, with 95% confidence. Conclusion: The results of the study showed a significant relationship between hope, emotional adjustment, psychological well-being, and spiritual beliefs. Educational workshops are recommended to increase public understanding of intellectual disabilities. Authorities, specialists, and community workers should develop a structured and comprehensive program to raise awareness about the emotional adjustment, psychological well-being, and spiritual beliefs of these mothers within the community.

Introdution: People with intellectual disability are similar to normal people with regards to their sexual needs. The aim of the present research was to compare sexual problems in mentally retarded and normal adolescents girls aged between 12–15 years in Tehran.Methods: This analaytical and cross- sectional research included 90 cases of EMR and 90 cases of normal girls who were chosen by the cluster random sampling method. The statistical tests included Independent ttest, Chi-square, Spearman and Pearson coefficient tests.Results: The result of the present research indicated that the sexual problems in the EMR Girls was more than normal girls and there was no correlation between the sexual problems and variable demography.Conclusion: EMR girls with low IQ and adjustment behavior disorder have more problems as compared to normal girls and these can lead to additional problems for themselves and their family.