Effect Of Motor Skills And Cognition On Activities Of Daily Living In Children With Down Syndrome

Abstract

Current literature lacks information about the relationship between specific domains of cognition and motor skills and adaptive skills in the Down syndrome population. Adaptive skills are of crucial importance since they are a key indicator of disability status. Adaptive skills, or activities of daily living, are the skills needed to maintain a normal quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to identify which domains heavily impact adaptive skills so health services can promote these areas in early intervention programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adaptive skills (self-care activities) in children with Down syndrome by examining the contributions of cognition, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills. A cross-sectional approach and age-appropriate standardized tests were used to measure cognitive awareness, motor capacities, and daily living tasks in children with Down syndrome (N=9). Results of the sample indicated that children with Down syndrome developmentally lag from typically developing peers across all motor skills by 20 to 20 months. Cognitive testing indicated that children with Down syndrome developmentally lag from typically developing peers in cognitive domains only by 9 to 13 months. Adaptive strengths were evident in the communication and socialization adaptive domains and relative adaptive weaknesses were evident in the daily living skills and motor skills domains.