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The Healthy Athletes Program is a global effort within Special Olympics to improve each athlete's ability to train and compete. It also refers athletes to local health practitioners when appropriate.
The Healthy Athletes Program:
- Provides improved access and healthcare for athletes
- Allows healthcare professionals/medical students to learn about the needs of people with intellectual disabilities
- Provides an opportunity to collect and analyze data on the health conditions of people with intellectual disabilities
- Raises public and professional awareness of the healthcare problems that Special Olympics athletes face.
There are currently five Healthy Athletes Programs being offered in North Carolina at various events throughout the year. All of these services are provided at no cost.
Special Olympics Special Smiles offers athletes one-on-one oral hygiene instruction and a non-invasive oral examination by a licensed dental professional. Referrals for treatment are also made to local dentists.
The Special Olympics Opening Eyes program provides quality eyecare and appropriate eyewear to Special Olympics athletes.
FunFitness is designed to assess and improve flexibility, functional strength and balance.
The Health Promotion Program empowers and motivates athletes to make healthy lifestyle choices and provides fun ways to increase physical fitness. Athletes receive information on topics such as tobacco avoidance, sun safety and skin care. The program also provides health screenings, such as bone mineral density (BMD) measurements.
Through Special Olympics Fit Feet, athletes receive foot and ankle screening for deformities and are checked for proper shoes and socks. Athletes also receive information providing guidance on general foot, toenail and skin care.
For more information or to volunteer in the Healthy Athletes Programs, contact Kelly Vaughn, Special Olympics North Carolina senior operations director, at kvaughn@sonc.net or 1-800-843-6276 ext. 117 (NC only)
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