St Albert Physiotherapy Ways Physiotherapy Can Help You | Page 5

The Link Between Physio And Down
Syndrome You Never Knew Existed
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Due to the fact that children with Down syndrome often have weaker muscle
tones, flattened noses, small ears, mouth and hands and a high joint instability,
achieving normal developmental milestones, such as crawling or walking,
becomes increasingly difficult and it may take longer. Most children never reach
t heir average adult height and it may take them years to learn how to go about
mundane tasks. Regardless if it takes longer and the road is rockier, people with
Down syndrome can live happy, full and healthy lives, and physiotherapy can
play a key role here.
According to a study published in the Egyptian Journal of Medical Human
Genetics in 2017, physiotherapy, specifically strength training has been proven
to be safe and effective in children with Down syndrome .
And it does not stop here. There is an actual opportunity that goes beyond
motor skills development and it has to do with learning. It goes without saying
that children with Down syndrome will experience life, education and learning in
a very different way than your typical child would. Because of this, the traditional
and go-to teaching methods might not work in these cases. By beginning
physiotherapy early, parents have the opportunity to better understand how their
child assimilates information and get a glimpse of how their brains work to
facilitate his future education. A physiotherapist can also help them build social
skills, make interaction less frightening and incomprehensible and better
prepare them for their adult life.