| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect that balance training can have on children with Down syndrome, specifically on their levels of postural control and gait efficiency. Eleven children with Down syndrome, ages 4-6, were recruited for this study. Before the intervention program began, baseline testing was performed for each participant using a force plate (BTrackS) and a timed up-and-go test. The intervention consisted of 30 minutes of balance activities per day, which took place four days a week for four weeks. Post-testing was performed after the last session. There was no statistical significance for the changes that were observed between pre and post test for the measured variables. However, changes were seen in the effect size which was calculated in order to determine if there was any change between baseline and post-testing for our small sample size. Some of the greatest differences we saw were decreased mean frequency and average time for timed up-and-go test. These results indicate that a short-term training intervention can be beneficial for both postural control and gait efficiency in children with Down syndrome. | |
