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By Yereth Rosen
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Mar 06 (Reuters) - When Loretta Claiborne was 9 and having trouble walking, her doctor blamed her mental retardation. The physician told her mother to "take her home and just smack her on the butt," Claiborne said.
It turned out the young girl had a malformed bone in her foot that had to be removed by surgery.
The dismissive treatment she received, Claiborne said at a special hearing of the US Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday, is typical of the inferior healthcare given to mentally retarded patients.
"If I'm not treated with respect, think about the people who can't speak for themselves," said Claiborne, now a Special Olympics marathon runner from Pennsylvania.
Her arguments were supported by a study on healthcare for the mentally retarded that was released by Special Olympics at the hearing.
The study, which compiled data from a variety of reports, presented a pattern of inadequate treatment for ailments ranging from poor eyesight and gum problems to potentially fatal illnesses like heart disease.
As few as 30% of patients with mental disabilities receive care from medical specialists, for example, even though 92% of them need such specialty care, according to the report.
Mentally retarded patients are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like obesity and cardiovascular disease and are less likely to be treated for mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety disorders.
And children with mental retardation are more likely to be victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, the report indicates.
Tim Shriver, president of Special Olympics, said the medical profession is part of the problem.
"The reality is that this population is still discriminated against by people in the medical profession," he asserted.
The hearing was convened by Sen. Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who heads the appropriations committee, in conjunction with the Special Olympics World Winter Games being held in Anchorage.
Stevens said he planned to also hold hearings on the subject in Washington.
US Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher also testified at the hearing, saying healthcare providers need better education to deliver appropriate services.
"I think it does start with training and sensitivity to people with mental retardation," he said.
Satcher plans to issue a Surgeon General's report giving recommendations on how to close the healthcare gap suffered by mentally retarded patients.
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