Early intervention physical therapy using “Parent Empowerment Program” for children with Down syndrome in Pakistan: A feasibility study

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the Parent Empowerment Program (PEP) to help caretakers deliver a home program to promote developmental activities and gross motor function in their children with Down syndrome. METHODS: Parents attended a 14-month program with training sessions 1–4 times a month. Outcomes were measured using a change in the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) at baseline and assessment one. RESULTS: Forty-eight families participated in the PEP. Children’s mean age was 16.2 ± 10.8 months. There were significant changes in GMFM-88 scores between baseline and assessment one; t (30) =-9.158, p< 0.001; 95% CI -14.6 – -22.9. Previous hospitalization significantly affected GMFM scores. CONCLUSION: This study describes a clinically applied research that focuses on program design, development and evaluation. Findings indicate that the PEP is effective in improving gross motor function in children with Down’s syndrome in Pakistan. Parents were satisfied with the program outcomes and were able to cope with the requirements at home. The PEP had favorable outcomes and may be an effective method to support PT services in resource poor countries.

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Improving gross motor function and postural control with hippotherapy in children with Down syndrome: Case reports

Physiotherapy Theory and Practice ◽

10.3109/09593981003623659 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 26 (8) ◽

pp. 564-571 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Danielle Champagne ◽

Claude Dugas

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Postural Control ◽

Motor Function ◽

Case Reports ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Gross Motor Function

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Gross motor function of children with down syndrome: Creation of motor growth curves

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1053/apmr.2001.21956 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 82 (4) ◽

pp. 494-500 ◽

Cited By ~ 103

Author(s):

Robert J. Palisano ◽

Stephen D. Walter ◽

Dianne J. Russell ◽

Peter L. Rosenbaum ◽

Maryan Gémus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Motor Function ◽

Growth Curves ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Gross Motor Function

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DEVELOPMENT OF GROSS MOTOR FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME

Pediatric Physical Therapy ◽

10.1097/00001577-199700940-00029 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 197

Author(s):

R J Palisano ◽

D Russell ◽

P Rosenbaum ◽

S Walter ◽

M Gemus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Motor Function ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Gross Motor Function

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Using the Gross Motor Function Measure to Evaluate Motor Development in Children with Down Syndrome

Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics ◽

10.1300/j006v21n02_06 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 69-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maryan Gemus ◽

Robert Palisano ◽

Dianne Russell ◽

Peter Rosenbaum ◽

Stephen Walter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Motor Function ◽

Motor Development ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Gross Motor Function ◽

Gross Motor Function Measure ◽

Function Measure

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Using the Gross Motor Function Measure to Evaluate Motor Development in Children with Down Syndrome

Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics ◽

10.1080/j006v21n02_06 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 21 (2-3) ◽

pp. 69-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Maryan Gémus ◽

Robert Palisano ◽

Dianne Russell ◽

Peter Rosenbaum ◽

Stephen D. Walter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Motor Function ◽

Motor Development ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Gross Motor Function ◽

Gross Motor Function Measure ◽

Function Measure

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Investigating factors related to the acquisition of masticatory function in Down syndrome children

International Journal of Orofacial Myology ◽

10.52010/ijom.2019.45.1.4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 46-56

Author(s):

Miki Mizukami ◽

◽

Takeshi Kikutani ◽

Miwa Matsuyama ◽

Keigo Nagashima ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Motor Function ◽

Mouth Opening ◽

Picky Eating ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Gross Motor Function ◽

Masticatory Function ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Risk Of Aspiration

Down syndrome (DS) has the highest prevalence of any chromosomal abnormality identified in newborns. DS children have specific eating and swallowing difficulties such as poor tongue control, mouth opening, swallowing food without chewing, and both facial and occlusal abnormalities. DS children are also at high risk of aspiration, and swallowing food without chewing is considered to be a factor associated with increased risk of aspiration and eating problems. This study aimed to identify factors preventing the acquisition of masticatory function in DS children. The subjects were 75 outpatient DS children (44 males, age range 12 to 36 month-old, mean age 33.0 ± 7.0 month-old; 31 females, age 12 to 36 month-old, mean age 20.8 ± 8.0 month-old), who had not yet acquired masticatory function, out of 319 who visited the clinic between October 2012 and October 2017. The information necessary for assessment was retrospectively extracted from the medical records of the subjects. The items examined included age, birth weight, nutritional intake, picky eating, tactile hyperesthesia, cognitive development assessed by Ohta stage, gross motor function, occlusal condition by Hellman’s dental age, and tongue thrust/lip closure/mastication while eating. The relationships between the acquisition of masticatory function and these items were investigated after one year of rehabilitation. The revealed age, low birth weight, picky eating, and gross motor function to be relevant factors. Among these, gross motor function was found to be the factor most strongly associated with acquisition of masticatory function.

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Prevalence of Speech Problems and the Use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Registry-Based Study in Norway

Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication ◽

10.1044/aac19.1.12 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 12-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Guro Andersen ◽

Tone R. Mjøen ◽

Torstein Vik

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Motor Function ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Alternative Communication ◽

Gross Motor ◽

Gross Motor Function ◽

Children With Cerebral Palsy ◽

Communicative Abilities ◽

Normal Speech

Abstract This study describes the prevalence of speech problems and the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Norway. Information on the communicative abilities of 564 children with CP born 1996–2003, recorded in the Norwegian CP Registry, was collected. A total of 270 children (48%) had normal speech, 90 (16%) had slightly indistinct speech, 52 (9%) had indistinct speech, 35 (6%) had very indistinct speech, 110 children (19%) had no speech, and 7 (1%) were unknown. Speech problems were most common in children with dyskinetic CP (92 %), in children with the most severe gross motor function impairments and among children being totally dependent on assistance in feeding or tube-fed children. A higher proportion of children born at term had speech problems when compared with children born before 32 weeks of gestational age 32 (p > 0.001). Among the 197 children with speech problems only, 106 (54%) used AAC in some form. Approximately 20% of children had no verbal speech, whereas ~15% had significant speech problems. Among children with either significant speech problems or no speech, only 54% used AAC in any form.

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