Bonnie-Marie Houghton discusses the clinical considerations when dealing with people with Down syndrome in A&E

The concept of vulnerability is commonly used in the health care setting, though it is often ill defined (Rogers 1997). The notion of vulnerability is an important concept for health care professionals to understand as it impacts upon the social, physiological and psychological bearing of an individual and their access to health service provision (Rogers 1997). Certain groups in society create additional demands on the health care system by virtue of their specific needs. One such group is people with learning disabilities, specifically Down syndrome. By definition, these individuals may be defined as vulnerable. As there is little or no literature pertaining to this group, this article aims to address some of the fundamental issues that concern practitioners when dealing with people with Down syndrome in the emergency care setting.