Welcome to SalimasList.com, your online Intellectual & Developmental Disability (IDD) community.   At Salima’s List, we use IDD to mean  Intellectual Developmental Differences.

Whether you or a loved one joined the IDD community from birth, assessment following concerns  about development, illness, or injury, or the result of aging, we welcome you. Securing services early and maintaining them continuously is an effective strategy for a person with IDD to reach developmental goals and achieve optimum independence. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists assessment tools linked for your convenience. 

Salima’s List connects businesses with consumers of developmental supports.  In 2015, the annual purchasing power for IDD supports was more than $66+ billion according to the Nielsen Homespan Omnibus Survey.  Salima’s List organizes business, consumer, event, resource, benefit, news, and more information as follows.  

*Home Page:  features the primary search feature for consumers to find businesses, a section for premier businesses that commit to an annual listing, a section that showcases new businesses that join Salima’s List, and a section that features upcoming events. 

*About Us:  tells out story, shares testimonials from consumers or businesses who use Salima’s List, and introduces Team Salimable.

*Resources:  provides key links to public benefits and services, lists IDD news stories and outlets, and shines the “Spotlight” on a Salima’s List business.  Site visitors can click on any state to access the agency that governs public benefits for the state.  

*Classified:  offers businesses and consumers the opportunity to advertise needs. 

*Contact Us:  includes an opportunity to send questions or feedback to Salima’s List.   

The following provides suggestions for where to start your journey if you think you need IDD supports.  Assessments endorsed by the American Association of Pediatrics may be found at https://screeningtime.org/star-center/#/screening-tools. 

1. Birth to 5 years old.  If a family member with IDD is 0-5 years old, connect with your state’s Early Intervention agency.  Participation in Early Intervention feeds into other developmental support programs, if needed, as the consumer ages.  Some diagnosis automatically qualify for subsequent developmental supports, and others require application.  

2. Assessment and Testing.  Your pediatrician, teacher, or you may be concerned that your child is not meeting developmental milestones. Or, a loved one may have experienced an illness or injury that resulted in a loss of cognitive ability. A primary care physician may provide initial assessment and testing.  Connect with your state Health department or Developmental Disability agency for further assessment and testing, and to apply for supports.    

3. Aging. Growing older sometimes results in the need for IDD supports.  Family members and friends may observe changes in cognitive ability.  Primary care physicians may provide or refer for assessments or neurological testing.  However, aging citizens should connect with the state’s Aging and Adult Services agency to receive information and apply for public benefits and supports.  

Come back to Salima’s List, often, for regular updates on businesses, events, news, and resources to assist in your effort to secure support and maintain them, continuously, to assist people with IDD reach goals and achieve optimum independence.