When most people think of Special Olympics, they think of sports competition, but the athletes who participate in those competitions often have physical and health issues, which must be addressed. Research has indicated that there is a generally mistaken belief that people with intellectual disabilities and challenges receive the same or better health care than others. The fact is, in many cases, they typically receive sub-standard care, or virtually no health care at all. Recognising this disparity in health care, Special Olympics International created a programme called Healthy Athletes, and each year Special Olympics Barbados takes part in that programme with a day full of free health screenings.
This Sunday, November 6, Special Olympics Barbados will hold its annual Healthy Athletes Screening at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, St. Michael from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Healthy Athletes offers health screenings in several areas: Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNfitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (better health and well-being), Healthy Hearing (audiology) and Special Smiles (dentistry). The Opening Eyes screening (vision), in which athletes receive free eye glasses, will be held at a later date.
Healthy Athletes provides the screenings in a fun, welcoming environment that removes the anxiety and trepidation people with intellectual challenges often experience when faced with a visit to a doctor or dentist. It not only serves these athletes but also trains health care professionals as Clinical Directors who then go back to their practices with increased knowledge of and compassion for people with intellectual challenges. The Clinical Directors who conduct the examinations have received training and certification by Special Olympics International.
Parents and guardians are urged to bring their registered Special Olympics athletes to the Healthy Athlete Screening this Sunday to join in the day’s activities and to leave reassured that as their athletes take part in sports and life in general, their physical health needs are being met.
