Ep 159: Dr. Craig Escude's Mission to Better Serve People with IDD

Guest host Richard Chapman interviews Dr. Craig Escude about his career and work improving healthcare for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). He explains how he entered the field while working in Mississippi, discovered that most healthcare professionals receive little or no training on caring for people with IDD, and learned critical lessons from experienced nurses, caregivers, and families. Dr. Escude highlights common but often overlooked health risks such as constipation, aspiration pneumonia, and seizure disorders, emphasizing that untreated medical conditions can significantly affect behavior and quality of life. He advocates for person-centered care, recognizing people with IDD as individuals first, and stresses the need for mandatory IDD-related training in medical, nursing, and other healthcare education programs. He also discusses his transition from clinical practice to educating healthcare providers nationwide through IntellectAbility's training programs and health risk screening tools, with the goal of reducing preventable illness, improving health equity, and enhancing the lives of people with IDD.