Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities
Most of the people diagnosed with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) usually experience difficulties communicating. People with PMLD may also suffer from mental health problems, complex health needs, and physical disabilities (Bellamy et al., 2010). As a result, people with PMLD may change their behaviour if they lack proper support. Adults and children with profound and learning disabilities are not different from other people, and they deserve to be treated with dignity. Most of the times, people with PMLD are denied their rights and are considered to be an outcast in society. Since we cannot change the nature of people with PMLD, then it is crucial for everybody to respect and focus on their needs. Communication is one of the requirements that people with PMLD require. Most people with PMLD mainly depend on behaviour, facial expressions, vocal sounds, and body language to communicate. Some people with PMLD may depend on others to interpret their reactions to facilitate their communication. Children and adults suffering from PMLD require high-level support from carers, close family members and paid workers (Bradley, 2013). Children with profound and multiple learning disabilities can be active in everyday life activities if they are provided with good healthcare and education.
The communication needs should be personalized according to the needs of an individual. One of the ways that children with PMLD may communicate is using objects of reference. By the use of reference objects, people with PMLD may be in a position to communicate their needs. By the use of objects, it will assist children suffering from PMLD to participate in activities or events. The object is made meaningful by presenting the object first, then followed by the action or activity it represents. For instance, you may first represent a plate to the child and then later give him/her food.
The other way to enhance communication and performance of children with PMLD is intensive interaction. Some people may use intensive interaction to teach pre-speech fundamentals of communication before learning the language. Intensive interaction involves a child with PMLD and a supporter (Lyle, 2018). The supporter should be well trained in order to be sensitive when dealing with children with learning disabilities.
Use of multimedia is another method of communicating with people suffering from PMLD. It involves the use of video and digital photography by developing computer-based personal profiles, which has enhanced people with learning disabilities to have a voice (Lacey, 2015). As a result, people with learning disabilities will be in a position to express themselves in a better way.
Lastly, the other way that we may improve the communication of people with learning disabilities is communication passports. The use of communication passports helps a person to present themselves positively to other people.
Communication is fundamental for the development of children with PMLD since they are human beings they need to interact with other people as well. Communication is an essential human right since it enables people to interact with each other. Moreover, it also enhances people to share ideas that are useful in their daily lives. Children with communication needs require to communicate like everybody else and express their needs, feelings, and preferences. As a result, children with communication needs require to receive high-quality care from family members and health professionals to assist them in communicating.
Communication enhances children with PMLD develop a sense of attachment. Communicating with children with complex communication needs helps them to have a secure attachment to the carer (Lyle, 2018). If children with complex communication needs are handled appropriately by their carer and develop a secure attachment, then it is very easy for them to relate with the outside world. Children with PMLD will be in a position to thrive in life if they are treated with respect and dignity they deserve as humans.
Communication is also essential to children with PMLD since it enables them to build relationships with people. When children with PMLD learn the language, it allows them to talk and listen to the instructions given by the caregiver (Bradley, 2013). As a result, children with PMLD will be in a better position to relate with the other children in the absence of the caregiver. If children with PMLD relate with other children well, then they will learn and develop new skills that are useful in life. Besides, they may learn how to forge close connections and relate in a healthy way. Therefore, if children with PMLD develop and learn a language, then it will be easy for them to be taught and learn new things from the environment.
Maintaining good communication skills with children suffering from PMLD it is crucial since it creates confidence to the children. Most of the times, children with PMLD may face challenges in reading, writing, and spelling. As a result, they may lack self-confidence and feel discouraged in life. Therefore, caregivers need to maintain good rapport with children with PMLD for them to have self-confidence.
Good communication skills are key to making and maintaining friends. Friendships are crucial in the development and growth of children (Bradley, 2013). Children with PMLD may feel disadvantaged since most children will not form friendships with them due to their poor communication skills. Therefore, it is essential to teach children with PMLD good communication skills.
Communication also has a great impact on the education of children with PMLD. Mostly, people with PMLD have difficulties in understanding language, and without the appropriate assistance, it is estimated that over 50% of children with complex communication needs have difficulties in reading (Lacey, 2015). The reading difficulties may create an educational gap between children of the same age. As a result, Children with PMLD they may find themselves being left behind by their classmates due to their poor literacy skills.
Children with PMLD may have behaviour difficulties due to their poor communication skills. Children with complex communication needs may face challenges when trying to put their feelings across. Therefore, children with PMLD may lack self-confidence and live an isolated life.
Many people assume that people with PMLD have nothing to say, and they cannot express their feelings about daily experiences, Which I disagree. Since people with PMLD are just like normal human beings and are in a position to express their feelings and views (Simmons & Watson, 2018). It is the responsibility of the caregiver to ensure that the person with PMLD is given a platform to share his/her own view about their daily experiences.
However, they are standards put in place to ensure that children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities have access to high-quality support. The standards should be observed in education facilities, health facilities, and social care services (Lacey, 2015). It is the responsibility of family members or supporters of the person with PMLD to ensure that children with learning disabilities receive the expected standards. Besides, commissioners and service providers have to ensure that families and key stakeholders are aware of these standards.
The service standards should ensure that people with learning disabilities consistently receive high standards of support regardless of their location. Secondly, the standards should ensure that children with learning disabilities receive a good quality of life and the person has opportunities the same as the other people in society. Moreover, the standards dictate that children with PLMD should be in good psychological and physical state, with the proper assistance from specialists. Besides, if people apply the service standards supporting people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, then children with PMLD will be in a position to learn expressive and receptive communication. Also, people with PMLD should have improved health since they require 24-hour postural care management hence promoting life expectancy of people with learning disabilities.
Moreover, the standards hold that people with PMLD should be involved in important community issues and be accepted as members of society. If people with PMLD are taken to be a part of the community and participate in social activities, then they will be in a position to communicate well. Moreover, service standards require that agencies to ensure that there is effective communication between the person with PMLD and the supporters to enhance the communication of the person with PMLD. Lastly, children with PMLD should have access to a competent workforce delivering high-quality care and support.
On the other hand, if people fail to follow the service standards provided for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, then it will not be easy for children and adults with PMLD to communicate and relate with the outside world (Simmons & Watson, 2018). If the right action is not taken, then people with PMLD may suffer emotionally, financially, and socially. In order to prevent children with PMLD from being neglected, the service standards aim at education, health and social care providers and commissioners.
The purpose of service standards at education facilities, health facilities, and social care providers is to ensure that children with PMLD have increased participation in their daily activities. The outcome of the providers is assessed annually, focusing on organizational standards and individual standards. Later, the information is disclosed to the family members, relevant commissioners and regulators. The outcome gives the carers and family members a chance to understand the quality of service that each child with PMLD requires to live a good life. On the other hand, commissioners control how services are offered and review the quality of service (Goodwin, 2013). It is the responsibility of the commissioners to identify where there is a need to improve the quality of service. Service providers, other stakeholders, and commissioners share the responsibility to ensure that service delivery is of high quality and safety. The quality assurance systems put in place for PMLD ensure that the adults and children with profound and multiple learning disabilities experience a good life. Moreover, quality assurance systems also ensure that services review and support planning align with the needs of people with PMLD. Lastly, quality assurance systems address any issue that may be facing children and adults with PMLD with honesty and ensure that there is a continuous improvement in the quality of service.
The PMLD standards put in place act as a practical tool to ensure that adults and children with PMLD receive high-quality support (Simmons & Watson, 2018). The PMLD standards are also used as a self-assessment test to identify the good practices that need to be maintained and the practices that require to be improved.
Conclusion
Adults and children with profound and multiple and learning disabilities are humans and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. In many cases, people with PMLD are often forgotten and lack people to support them since people usually have low expectations from them. As a result, some diverse family members, education professionals, healthcare providers, social care providers, and academics developed service standards to ensure that people with profound and multiple learning disabilities get a good quality of service and support. It is the responsibility of the relevant stakeholders who developed the service standards to ensure that improvement is made in the future as the needs of people with PMLD change over time. The partnership created between commissioners of education, health care providers, service providers, and social care workers has enhanced the wellbeing of people with PMLD and improved service delivery.
References
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Bradley, H. (2013, November). Assessing and developing successful communication. In People with Profound & Multiple Learning Disabilities: A Collaborative Approach to Meeting (p. 50). Routledge.
Lyle, D. (2018). Developing the core and essential service standards for supporting people with PMLD. PMLD Link, 30(1), 6-8.
Lacey, P. (2015). Developing the thinking of learners with PMLD. PMLD Link, 27(2), 43-47.
Simmons, B., & Watson, D. (2018). The PMLD Ambiguity: Articulating the life-worlds of children with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Routledge.
Simmons, B., & Bayliss, P. (2007). The role of special schools for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties: is segregation always best?. British Journal of Special Education, 34(1), 19-24.
Goodwin, M. (2013). Listening and responding to children with PMLD–towards a framework and possibilities. The SLD Experience, 65(1), 21-27.
Simmons, B., & Watson, D. (2015). From individualism to co-construction and back again: Rethinking research methodology for children with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Child Care in Practice, 21(1), 50-66.