Approximately 6.5 million people in the United States have an intellectual disability. That means they have an IQ score below 70 and other cognitive limitations that affect their communication, social, and self-care skills. COVID-19 has certainly complicated their existence — but it also has ended their lives at tragic rates.

Consider this disturbing statistic: Having an intellectual disability was the highest independent risk factor for contracting COVID-19, controlling for race, ethnicity, and other variables. It was higher even than age or heart or lung problems, according to a recent paper I co-authored. Also, having an intellectual disability was second only to age for COVID-19-related deaths. The paper — which reported on more than 64 million patients at hundreds of U.S. medical centers — found that those with intellectual disabilities were six times more likely to die from COVID-19 than other members of the population.

Some of the increased illness and death may be related to the nature of intellectual disabilities and the supports they entail.

Children with disabilities are at least three times more likely to experience abuse and neglect compared to their peers, and a new American Academy of Pediatrics report underscores the role of pediatricians in preventing maltreatment and offers guidance on how they can support families.

“I’m always struck by the numbers of kids that are abused, and how prevalent abuse [is] in the population of children with disabilities,” said Lori Legano, the director of Child Protection Services at NYU Langone Health’s department of pediatrics and the lead author of the report, which was published Monday in Pediatrics. 

Legano said the report, which is an update to a 2007 AAP paper, allows busy pediatricians, especially those without specific expertise on child maltreatment or disability, to be more aware of the increasingly well-documented issue and approach it in an informed and sensitive way. The report looked broadly at disability in children and adolescents as “any significant impairment in any area of motor, sensory, social, communicative, cognitive, or emotional functioning.”

Several bills got the approval signature of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice during a virtual ceremony Wednesday. One of them will require training for certain officers who are responding to those with disabilities.

“I just thought it was a step in the right direction with people with disabilities, specifically autism, that can help the communities and families have a little bit of relief as far as what might happen if they get into an emergency situation or they need assistance with their loved one,” Phenia Simmons, who has two sons that are on the autistic spectrum said.

The bill requires law enforcement and correctional officers to be trained on the best ways to interact with those with autism spectrum disorders.

“Some individuals with autism are non-verbal so there will probably be extensive training, I would hope, for those officers that would be visual,” Simmons said.

9-year-old Bonnie of Hays has waited 10 years for a placement in a residential home with others with intellectual disabilities.

She waited until a crisis finally allowed her to qualify for a placement in a group home.

An online predator lured her into her confidence and was close to having her disability benefits transferred into his name before Bonnie's guardian, her aunt Barb Sherfick, was able to stop him.

Bonnie is living in an apartment owned by a family member, but Sherfick said she needs more support and guidance. This is the second time Bonnie, who has the mental capacity of about a 10-year-old, has been the victim of an online predator.

Sherfick said she hopes her niece's upcoming placement will open up her world to appropriate friendships, opportunities to be more active in the community and maybe even a job.

She said, sadly, it has just been a long time to wait.

"We are praying that she is placed in Hays or Great Bend, so we can visit and be close, but there are no guarantees," Sherfick said. "They need more facilities in the state and more funding of these people."

Bonnie's situation is common in Kansas. As of the beginning of April, more than 4,500 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are on a waiting list to receive state-funded services in Kansas, said Jerry Michaud, president/CEO of the Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas.

The state is currently serving people who entered the list as of Nov. 2, 2011.

Unfortunately, many people who are on the waiting list end up in a crisis situation, such as Bonnie, before the state will take them off the waiting list, Michaud said.