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Article #297: The Down Syndrome and Physical Therapy Development Phase

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Parents of a child with Down syndrome a stomach out and back arched, in a more
have their hands full just trying to get pronounced, difficult, and precarious
used to their child's condition. What way.
could get them more dubious is when While it is true that your child is going
someone suggests that their child should to learn how to walk eventually and that
have a physical therapist. Why physical what is only takes is for you wait more
therapy? Won't he learn to walk and run, patiently, it would still be more
just like other children do? worthwhile if you avoid making that wait
Down syndrome and physical therapy may be wasted. Physical therapy during this
an odd pair yet the parent should realize development stage is so powerful in
the inherent benefits that physical preventing impending orthopedic problems
therapy could offer. First of all, the in your child once he reaches his
arrangement of Down syndrome and physical adolescence and adulthood. Otherwise his
therapy offers the child one of the most physical functioning will have the
important services he will receive in the tendency to be impaired later in life.
early intervention period. It is during Physical therapy can help a child with a
this early phase that the Down syndrome Down syndrome by proactively teaching him
and physical therapy match will have the some optimal movement patterns to
greatest chemistry to improve the child's developed strength in particular muscles.
condition in the future. And aside from eliminating the
Although the limitation of having a child compensatory movement patterns that the
with a Down syndrome and physical therapy child with a Down syndrome is prone to,
as his early treatment is apparently that physical therapy can also help the child
it does not accelerate the rate at which in attaining a mastery of his total motor
the child achieves his total motor skill, development. His total motor development
physical therapy still helps the child in - rolling over, sitting, crawling and
avoiding his development of abnormal walking are the first challenges he will
compensatory movement patterns. A child meet in life. Hence this will also be his
having a Down syndrome and physical first area of strength. Once the both of
therapy deficit are nearly certain that you has learned how to walk, your team
they will develop the following will advance to refining the pattern,
compensatory movement patterns: standing ultimately allowing you to access
and walking with hips in external community recreation programs like
rotation, knees stiff, feet flat and 'gymboree', dance, gymnastics, or any
turned out, sitting with trunk rounded other program that you both would enjoy
and pelvis tilted back, and standing with in.






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