Investigation of cardiopulmonary parameters, motor development and muscle strength in children with Down syndrome with and without congenital heart disease.
Kids with Down syndrome and congenital heart disease grip weaker and move less—build strength and endurance into their plan.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Sappok et al. (2024) compared kids with Down syndrome who also have congenital heart disease to DS kids without heart trouble.
They measured grip strength, gross motor scores, and breathing effort in both groups.
What they found
The heart-disease group scored lower on every test. They gripped weaker, moved slower, and worked harder to breathe.
Same diagnosis, extra heart problem, clear motor cost.
How this fits with other research
Vakil et al. (2012) extends the story: motor loss keeps sliding as adults with DS age, so early weakness predicts later falls.
Lancioni et al. (2011) show cardiac issues spike infant death risk; T et al. now map the same heart problems onto daily strength and stamina in survivors.
Laugeson et al. (2014) and Ghaziuddin et al. (1996) fill the picture—DS kids also struggle with memory, planning, and vision—so one checklist is not enough.
Why it matters
If a client has DS plus CHD, expect less grip and quicker fatigue. Add short strength bursts, seated balance games, and watch breathing rate. Share numbers with the cardiologist and PT so goals match real capacity.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Children with Down syndrome (DS) frequently have concomitant clinical problems. There are no studies in the literature evaluating gross motor development and handgrip strength in the presence of congenital heart disease (CHD), which is one of the most common comorbidities in population with DS. The aim of this study was to compare cardiopulmonary parameters, gross motor development and handgrip strength in children with DS with and without CHD. METHODS: A total of 28 children with DS (14 with CHD and 14 without CHD) were evaluated. Demographic data and cardiopulmonary parameters were recorded. Gross motor development and handgrip strength were assessed. RESULTS: Children with DS and CHD had lower GMFM-88 scores and right handgrip strength and higher Wang respiratory score than children with DS and no CHD (P < 0.05). GMFM-88 scores were moderately correlated with resting oxygen saturation (r = 0.46, P = 0.01) and right handgrip strength (r = 0.67, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral muscle strength and oxygen saturation may be factors affecting gross motor development in children with DS. From this point of view, evaluating cardiopulmonary parameters, motor development and handgrip strength in children with DS and CHD is important to identify risks, provide early intervention and support development.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2024 · doi:10.1111/jir.13092