Sexual Health Education for Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities
Report, 2015
Adolescents with intellectual disabilities, like all individuals, deserve the opportunity to enjoy personal sexual fulfillment in a healthy, empowering way. Research has shown that individuals with intellectual disabilities have the right to and a need for sexual health education. Sexual health education can help to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities to explore their sexuality in positive ways, learn how to have healthy relationships, learn how to make their own decisions related to their sexual health, and reduce their vulnerability to sexual abuse. Education can also help to reduce inappropriate sexual expression.
This literature review highlights the need for sexual health education for individuals living with intellectual disabilities. It also describes the limited available evidence for what works for teaching sexual health education to this population and provides recommendations for further areas of educational development.
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Poster, 2015
Rates of adolescent pregnancy and STIs in Saskatchewan are among the highest in Canada. The number of individuals testing positive for HIV in Saskatchewan is almost twice the Canadian average. These high rates are of concern because adolescent pregnancy is associated with poorer outcomes for the mom and the baby. Likewise, if STIs and HIV are not treated, they can cause serious health issues for males, females, and unborn babies. Adolescent pregnancy, STIs, and HIV can be prevented with proper contraception use, testing, and treatment.
This poster was created to promote further awareness of the need for STI and HIV testing in Saskatchewan and to highlight the importance of contraceptive use.
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Messages for Parents: Thirteen to Sixteen Years
Information Card, Revised 2019
This information card has been developed to support parents in their role as the primary sexual health educators of their children.
It is important that parents engage their children in sexual health discussion at an early age, beginning with teaching the proper terminology of body parts. Early introduction of the topic increases the confidence and comfort of both the parents and children to talk about sexual health at later years.
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Mike’s Crush for Families: Teaching Relationship Skills to Adolescents with Autism, Asperger’s, or Intellectual Disabilities
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Adolescents who have disabilities want and need friendships and romantic relationships, just like their peers. It is important to learn relationship skills during adolescence so that when mistakes are made, there is a safety net in place. The goal of this DVD and accompanying booklet is to teach adolescents and young adults with autism, Asperger’s, or intellectual disabilities about healthy relationships.
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The Latest about HIV and AIDS: What Every Student Still Needs to Know
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There is still no cure for AIDS, and teens and people in their 20’s account for many of the new cases of HIV infection. Using crisp animations, the program clearly details how HIV invades CD4 cells and weakens the body’s immune system and can lead to AIDS. The program debunks myths about how the virus is transmitted and identifies those behaviours that do, and do not, put people at risk of HIV infection. The program reviews the most recent information on HIV testing and stresses the importance of treatment for protecting one’s health and the health of others. A variety of HIV-positive people describe how they got infected, why they got tested, and how their lives have been affected by the virus.
Two supplemental programs are included on this DVD – How to Use a Female Condom and How to Use a Male Condom. These programs use graphics to demonstrate the proper way to use a condom. Before using these optional programs, you may need to check with your school’s policy on sex education as to whether parental permission is required.
Includes a PDF copy of teacher’s resource book.
Audience: Grade 7-Post Secondary
SKU: 7-V-706