Health Conditions, Learning, and Behavior

This chapter presents an overview of the common health conditions and related co-morbid disorders individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience and the impact these conditions can have on behavior. Routine assessments and evaluations for the identification of illnesses are discussed and recommendations for how to determine their impact on challenging behavior are provided. The chapter closes with a summary of evidence-based treatments that integrate behavioral approaches with the existing physiological conditions to reduce challenging behavior.