Trisomy 21, known as Down syndrome, is a condition in which a child is born with an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. Children with Down syndrome want to be as active as unaffected children but have certain physical characteristics that can make this harder to achieve for them. Physical therapy helps Down Syndrome children learn to perform motor movements in the ideal way to avoid injury. It is not a cure for Down Syndrome.
Motor Developement
Individuals affected by Down Syndrome have certain physical characteristics that impact their gross motor development. Many have hypotonia, a low amount of tone in their muscles. This means babies may feel "floppy". The level of hypotonia differs between individuals and often diminishes with age. Another physical factor affecting movement is ligamentous laxity, which causes increased flexibility in the joints. Children with Down syndrome may have decreased strength as well as short arms and legs. All these factors lead to difficulty with balance while standing and walking.
Physical Therapy Goals
The goal of physical therapy is not to cure Down syndrome. It will also not speed up the rate of development of affected children. The goal is to facilitate the development of optimal motor movement patterns. Children often develop adaptations that help them achieve movement but can lead to injury over the long term. Physical therapy helps prevent these non-ideal patterns from developing.
Activities
During physical therapy you will break down individual movements into their component parts and demonstrate them to the child. Through practice and repetition the child will learn the proper pattern of movement. Parental training is an integral part of physical therapy and they will learn to assist their child at therapy and perform exercises at home with him.
Tips for Parents
The National Down Syndrome Society recommends parents learn what motivates their child and use this as a reward for achievement. It also says it is critical to work with each child individually based on his thought processes and abilities. This allows them to build on existing skills. They should set children up to succeed by practicing skills they can accomplish and then introduce new skills with proper motivation. They should try to make physical therapy fun.
