Motor skills, cognitive development and balance functions of children with Down syndrome
Journal Title: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine - Year 2013, Vol 20, Issue 4
Abstract
Introduction and objectives: Motor and cognitive development of children with Down syndrome (DS) is delayed and inharmonic. Neuro–muscular abnormalities, such as hypotonia, retained primary reflexes, and slow performance of volitional reaction, result in difficulties with body balance. The aim of the presented study is to assess the global motor functions and body balance of children with DS in relation to age and mental development. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 79 children with DS (42 boys, 37 girls), average age 6 years and 3 months ± 4 years and 6 months. Participants were divided according to age range into 3 groups: < 3 years old, 3 – 6 years old, > 6 years old. Children were assessed using Gross Motor Function Measure-88 (GMFM-88) and Paediatric Balance Scale (PBS). Psychological diagnosis served to determine the degree of mental development using the Brunet–Lezine Scale for children younger than 3 years old, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) for those who are older than 3 years. Nine children in research group had not been diagnosed by psychologists, which is the reason why the analysis referring to mental development was performed in 70 children (34 girls, 36 boys), with an average age of 4 years and 6 months. Results: GMFM–88 scores were significantly lower in children with moderate psychomotor delay than in children with mild psychomotor delay, or normally developed children, p=0.043. GMFM-88 scores in children with profound mental impairment were lower than in children with mild or moderate mental impairment. There was a statistical significant correlation between GMFM-88 scores and the PBS scores, r= 0.7, p<0.0001. Conclusions: Motor development of children with Down syndrome from towns and villages in the Greater Poland region is associated with cognitive development, especially in the first three years of life, with the balance functions being closely related to motor skills.
Authors and Affiliations
Roksana Malak, Malgorzata Kotwicka, Agnieszka Krawczyk-Wasielewska, Ewa Mojs, Włodzimierz Samborski
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP80709
- DOI -
- Views 134
- Downloads 0
Assessment of intake of iron and nutrients that affect bioavailability of daily food rations of girls
INTRODUCTION AND AIMIn a human body iron occurs at a level of 3 to 5 g, 60-70 % of which are in hemoglobin, ca. 10% in myoglobin, and ca. 3% are accumulated in enzymes of cellular respiration or enzymes degrading toxic h...
Trends of potential years of life lost due to main causes of deaths in urban and rural population in Poland, 2002–2011
The aim of the study was to analyse the level and the trends of Potential Years of Life Lost due to main causes of deaths in Poland in 2002–2011, with consideration of place of residence, urban-rural. The material for th...
Nutritional behaviours among pregnant women from rural and urban environments in Poland.
Based on data obtained from the system MoZMaD - PL (Polish Mother and Child Health Monitoring System); an equivalent of the American system PRAMS (Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System). The health behaviour of a p...
Organic dust induced pulmonary disease - the role of mould derived beta-glucan.
The objective of the study was to evaluate the role of the mould cell wall agent beta-glucan in environmentally related pulmonary disease. All published articles where beta-glucan was administered by the airways, either...
On the verge of the 21st century there tends to be a panic in the struggle against communicable diseases
Presently, chronic non-communicable diseases are the main cause of the global burden of diseases and mortality. In AAEM, many researchers undertake these problems. However, at the age of mass migration of the world popul...