Functional Performance of Children with Down Syndrome with Five and Six Years Old

Abstract

Abstract: Children with Down syndrome have as main features global hypotonia, muscular weakness and articular hyperflexibility, which make acquisition and control of movements difficult. The changes presented by these children will interfere with functionality, compromising the ability to independently perform various activities and tasks of the daily routine, compared to children with typical development in the same age group. This study aimed to compare the functional performance of children with Down syndrome compared to children who have typical development with five and six years old. This is an analytical and cross-sectional study. It was evaluated the functional performance of 28 children with five and six years old, being 14 with Down Syndrome (case group) and 14 with typical motor development (control group). To evaluate the functional performance was used Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI). The groups were matched in terms of age, gender and family income. Most children in the case group enter school over the age of three years, while the control children, aged less than or equal to three years (p=0,02). There was a significant difference (p