scholarly journals Associations of Motor Performance and Executive Functions: Comparing Children with Down Syndrome to Chronological and Mental Age-Matched Controls

Children ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Thomas Jürgen Klotzbier ◽  
Benjamin Holfelder ◽  
Nadja Schott
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Motor Skills ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Movement Assessment ◽  
Trail Making ◽  
Developmental Domains

Background. Children with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit lower motor and cognitive performance than typically developing children (TD). Although there is a relationship between these two developmental domains, only a few studies have addressed this association in children with DS compared to groups of the same chronological age (CA) or mental age (MA) within one study. This study aimed to fill this research gap. Method and Procedures. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 and the Trail-Making Test was used to assess motor and cognitive performances in 12 children (M = 10.5 ± 10.08) with DS, 12 CA-matched, and 12 MA-matched controls. Results. There are significant group differences in the motor dimension (total test score; p < 0.001, η2p = 0.734), for processing speed (p < 0.001, η2p = 0.396), and cognitive flexibility (p < 0.001, η2p = 0.498). Between TD-CA and both other groups, the differences in the magnitude of correlations for the motor dimension balance are also significant (compared to DS: z = −2.489; p = 0.006, and to TD-MA: z = −3.12; p < 0.001). Conclusions. Our results suggest that the relationships depend on the studied cognitive and motor skills. It seems crucial to select a wide range of tasks for both domains that are as isolated as possible for future studies, to better understand the relationships between cognitive and motor skills in children with DS.

scholarly journals Observational Assessment and Maternal Reports of Motivation in Children and Adolescents With Down Syndrome

2011 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Gilmore ◽  
Monica Cuskelly
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Observational Assessment ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Maternal Reports

Abstract Despite a lack of consistent empirical evidence, there has been an ongoing assumption that intellectual disability is associated with reduced levels of motivation. The participants in this study were 33 children with Down syndrome ages 10–15 years and 33 typically developing 3–8-year-old children. Motivation was measured through observational assessments of curiosity, preference for challenge, and persistence, as well as maternal reports. There were no significant group differences on motivation tasks, but mothers of children with Down syndrome rated their children significantly lower on motivation than did parents of typically developing children. There were some intriguing group differences in the pattern of correlations among observations and parent reports. The findings challenge long-held views that individuals with intellectual disability are invariably deficient in motivation.

scholarly journals Home-Based Peer Social Networks of Young Children With Down Syndrome: A Developmental Perspective

2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 340-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Guralnick ◽  
Robert T. Connor ◽  
L. Clark Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Peer Social Networks ◽  
And Control

Abstract Numerous dimensions of the peer social networks of children with Down syndrome were examined within a developmental framework. Results revealed that for many key measures, particularly involvement in play, linkages to other settings, and control of play, children with Down syndrome have less well-developed peer networks even in comparison to a mental age matched group of typically developing children. This suggests both an absence of any social advantage in the peer context for children with Down syndrome and the existence of unusual difficulties that may be traced to underlying problems in peer-related social competence. The need for future observational studies of peer interactions for this group of children was emphasized.

scholarly journals Differences and Similarities in Predictors of Expressive Vocabulary Development between Children with Down Syndrome and Young Typically Developing Children

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Kari-Anne B. Næss ◽  
Johanne Ostad ◽  
Egil Nygaard
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Motor Skills ◽  
Vocabulary Development ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Auditory Memory ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Oral Motor

The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in the predictors of expressive vocabulary development between children with Down syndrome and typically developing children to support preparation for intervention development. An age cohort of 43 children with Down syndrome and 57 typically developing children with similar nonverbal mental age levels were assessed at three time points. Linear mixed models were used to investigate the predictors of expressive vocabulary over time. Both groups achieved progress in expressive vocabulary. The typically developing children had steeper growth than the children with Down syndrome (1.38 SD vs. 0.8 SD, p < 0.001). In both groups, receptive vocabulary, auditory memory, and the home literacy environment were significant predictors of development. In the children with Down syndrome, the phonological awareness and oral motor skills were also significant. Group comparisons showed that receptive vocabulary, auditory memory and oral motor skills were stronger predictors in the children with Down syndrome than in the typically developing children. These results indicate that children with Down syndrome are more vulnerable when it comes to risk factors that are known to influence expressive vocabulary than typically developing children. Children with Down syndrome therefore require early broad-based expressive vocabulary interventions.

scholarly journals Profiles of Everyday Executive Functioning in Young Children With Down Syndrome

2014 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Daunhauer ◽  
Deborah J. Fidler ◽  
Laura Hahn ◽  
Elizabeth Will ◽  
Nancy Raitano Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Matched Control ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Complementary Role ◽  
Behavior Rating Inventory

Abstract We investigated executive functioning (EF) in children with Down syndrome (DS; n  =  25) and typically developing (TD) children matched for mental age (MA; n  =  23) using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool. We sought to (1) compare children with DS to a developmentally matched control group, and (2) to characterize the EF profile of children with DS. Across teacher and parent reports, significant deficits in working memory and planning were observed in the DS group. Parents, but not teachers, of children with DS also reported difficulties in inhibitory control relative to the comparison group. Results extend earlier findings regarding EF impairments in children with DS. The complementary role inhibitory control may play in this profile is discussed.

scholarly journals Mother–Child Play: Children With Down Syndrome and Typical Development

2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Venuti ◽  
S. de Falco ◽  
G. Esposito ◽  
Marc H. Bornstein
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Child Play ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Solitary Play ◽  
Exploratory Play ◽  
Collaborative Play

Abstract Child solitary and collaborative mother–child play with 21 children with Down syndrome and 33 mental-age-matched typically developing children were compared. In solitary play, children with Down syndrome showed less exploratory but similar symbolic play compared to typically developing children. From solitary to collaborative play, children with Down syndrome increased their exploratory play, attaining the same level as typically developing children. Pretense significantly increased from solitary to collaborative play only in typically developing children. Differences between mothers' play in the two groups mirrored those between their children. Both groups showed similar attunement and synchrony. Mothers contribute to the play development of children with Down syndrome through their own adaptation to their children's limitations and potentialities.

Receptive number morphosyntax in children with Down syndrome

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 679-704
Author(s):  
ROBERTO A. ABREU-MENDOZA ◽  
TANIA JASSO ◽  
ELIA E. SOTO-ALBA ◽  
NATALIA ARIAS-TREJO
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Numerical Comparison ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Mental Age

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the comprehension of plural morphosyntactic markers and its relationship with numerical comparison abilities in children with Down syndrome (DS). It evaluated 16 Spanish-speaking children with DS (mean verbal mental age = 3;6) and 16 typically developing children with similar receptive vocabulary (mean chronological age = 3;5). Children participated in two preferential looking tasks assessing their abilities to map singular and plural markers to their visual referents and to distinguish one object from more than one. Results showed that both groups of children correctly mapped plural markers to their referents but failed to map singular ones. Furthermore, results also indicated that both groups also looked at collections of more than one object with four objects but not at those with two. The eye movement patterns of children who looked at collections of more than one object suggest a counting-like strategy. These results indicate that comprehension of plural markers of children with DS is similar to that of their typically developing peers; however, it is not related to their numerical abilities.

scholarly journals The Association between Difficulties with Speech Fluency and Language Skills in a National Age Cohort of Children with Down Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 704
Author(s):  
Kari-Anne B. Næss ◽  
Egil Nygaard ◽  
Hilde Hofslundsengen ◽  
J. Scott Yaruss
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Speech Fluency ◽  
Age Cohort ◽  
Student’S T

The present study (a) addressed difficulties in speech fluency in children with Down syndrome and typically developing children at a similar non-verbal level and (b) examined the association between difficulties with speech fluency and language skills in children with Down syndrome. Data from a cross-sectional parent survey that included questions about children’s difficulties with speech fluency, as well as clinical tests from a national age cohort of 43 six-year-olds with Down syndrome and 57 young typically developing children, were collected. Fisher’s exact test, Student’s t-test, linear regression, and density ellipse scatter plots were used for analysis. There was a significantly higher occurrence of parent-reported difficulties with speech fluency in the children with Down syndrome. Higher language scores were significantly associated with a lower degree of difficulties; this association was strongest for vocabulary and phonological skills. Although difficulties with speech fluency were not reported for all children with Down syndrome, a substantially higher occurrence of such difficulties was reported compared to that for typically developing children. The significant association between difficulties with speech fluency and the level of language functioning suggests that speech fluency and language skills should be taken into consideration when planning treatment for children with Down syndrome.

scholarly journals Inhibitory Dimensions and Delay of Gratification: A Comparative Study on Individuals with Down Syndrome and Typically Developing Children

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 636
Author(s):  
Martina Fontana ◽  
Maria Carmen Usai ◽  
Sandra Pellizzoni ◽  
Maria Chiara Passolunghi
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Interference Suppression ◽  
Delay Of Gratification ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Two Samples

While previous research on inhibition in people with Down syndrome (DS) reported contradictory results, with no explicit theoretical model, on the other hand, a more homogeneous impaired profile on the delay of gratification skills emerged. The main goal of the present study was to investigate response inhibition, interference suppression, and delay of gratification in 51 individuals with DS matched for a measure of mental age (MA) with 71 typically developing (TD) children. Moreover, we cross-sectionally explored the strengths and weaknesses of these components in children and adolescents vs. adults with DS with the same MA. A battery of laboratory tasks tapping on inhibitory sub-components and delay of gratification was administrated. Results indicated that individuals with DS showed an overall worse performance compared to TD children on response inhibition and delay of gratification, while no differences emerged between the two samples on the interference suppression. Additionally, our results suggested that older individuals with DS outperformed the younger ones both in response inhibition and in the delay of gratification, whereas the interference suppression still remains impaired in adulthood. This study highlights the importance of evaluating inhibitory sub-components considering both MA and chronological age in order to promote more effective and evidence-based training for this population.

Pathways to language: a naturalistic study of children with Williams syndrome and children with Down syndrome

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
YONATA LEVY ◽  
ARIELA EILAM
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Williams Syndrome ◽  
Language Delay ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Naturalistic Study ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Network Properties ◽  
Development Of Language ◽  
Language Onset

ABSTRACTThis is a naturalistic study of the development of language in Hebrew-speaking children with Williams syndrome (WS) and children with Down syndrome (DS), whose MLU extended from 1·0 to 4·4. Developmental curves over the entire span of data collection revealed minor differences between children with WS, children with DS, and typically developing (TD) controls of similar MLU. Development within one calendar year showed remarkable synchrony among the variables. However, age of language onset and pace of acquisition departed significantly from normal timing. It is argued that in view of the centrality of genetic timing and the network properties of cognition, normal schedules are crucial determinants of intact development. Consequently, with respect to neurodevelopmental syndromes, the so-called ‘language delay’ is indicative of deviance that is likely to impact development in critical ways.

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