Mission Statement
The IASP Pain in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities SIG’s mission is to raise awareness and advance the assessment and treatment of pain across the lifespan for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We seek to provide a forum for the discussion of academic research to improve our scientific understanding of pain among the different IDD populations and to curate, collate and recommend best clinical practices to alleviate suffering for individuals with IDD as it relates to pain.
The Pain in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Special Interest Group (PIDDSIG) aims to:
- Bring education and resources specific to pain assessment and management to this vulnerable and complex patient population.
- Encourage interdisciplinary knowledge exchange to advance awareness of the problem of pain for individuals with IDD within IASP and in consult with other national and international associations.
- To examine the underlying mechanisms of chronic and acute pain specific to individuals with IDD who may have altered or compromised physiological systems.
- Engage in and promote multidisciplinary and multi-site research collaborations.
- To identify and implement strategies, programs, and learning opportunities that support the goal of improving pain management for individuals with IDD internationally.