| dc.description.abstract | This study aimed to characterize and identify the rate of motor development in both
infants with Down syndrome (experimental group) and typical infants (control group) at
the age range of 3-12 months. The infants were assessed in terms of motor performance,
motor acquisition, minimum and maximum age to acquire a motor skill, and maximum
age to acquire all the skills composing each positional scale (prone, supine, sitting and
standing). Three papers and one chapter of a book were written to deal with these issues.
The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) was used for data collection. In paper 1, the rate
of motor development in typical infants increased over the months in all body positions.
Significant motor performance was observed at 3 and 6 months for the girls, and at 12
months for the boys. There was no relationship of weight and length, whether at birth or
over age, with the infants motor development. In paper II, the experimental group
showed an increasing but slow rate of motor development from 3 to 12 months. In paper
III, motor performance was lower in infants of the experimental group. These infants
took one to four months more to acquire motor skills when compared to control group. In
the chapter of the book, examples of how to handle infants emphasized neuro-sensorymotor
stimuli in different body positions with the aim of instructing caregivers on how to
stimulate their child to interact, explore and learn about the environment in a more
functional and independent manner. The results indicated that motor development was
increased in infants with Down syndrome, following the same sequence of motor
acquisitions as the typical infants. However, the rate was slower for the infants with
Down syndrome, especially in prone, sitting and standing positions in which they were
unable to perform all the skills. Furthermore, the infants with Down syndrome took more
time to acquire a new skill. These studies fill the gap in the knowledge about the process
of motor development as well as about the identification of motor milestones in infants
with Down syndrome under physiotherapy intervention. In this sense, this research
allows therapists to properly identify and assess infants with Down syndrome, thus
contributing towards both the planning of therapeutic intervention and the development
of guidelines aimed at instructing caregivers on how to prioritize antigravity positions
and skills. | |
