Nas Campanella

1 week ago | abc.net.au | Nas Campanella

Scans like CTs or MRIs are vital for diagnosing then treating disease, but they can also be confronting. People with intellectual disability, who might not understand why they're having the scan, may need sedation before undergoing imaging.  But advocates say there aren't enough services across the country to provide this support to patients and they're concerned it's leading to poor treatment and premature death.

1 week ago | abc.net.au | Nas Campanella |Mary Lloyd

One of Imogen's favourite games is to play doctor with her teddy. As she pretends to take a blood sample, it is clear how familiar she is with being reassured during medical procedures. "It's OK Teddy, it doesn't hurt," she tells a knitted bear fitted with a cannula. The five-year-old knows what it is like being scared of needles, hospitals and health workers. Imogen lives with a rare condition, which involves intellectual disability and profound hearing loss.

2 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Luke Radford |Nas Campanella

As the Federal Government tries to rein in spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, its managing agency has lowered the prices participants can be charged for certain therapies. The NDIA says the reductions are necessary, because many therapists are charging more than the market rate. Service providers disagree with the move and say the new price caps will drive high quality care providers out of the sector.

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Nas Campanella |Evan Young

Aimee and Mark Freeman have always been grateful for the support of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Thanks to the scheme, their 19-year-old daughter Bianca — who lives with a severe intellectual disability, is non-verbal and needs assistance to do most tasks — was able to start attending TAFE, join a social group and continue to build her own life.

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Nas Campanella |Evan Young

Parents with Deaf children often have a choice to make: do they learn Auslan, the spoken word, or a mix of both? Families who choose a bilingual approach need to get well versed in the Deaf world and its culture, which is much bigger and more vibrant than most hearing people realise. While a bilingual approach to raising a child means double the work, families raising their kids in both the hearing and Deaf worlds say they're also getting double the joy.