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Babies with Down Syndrome Benefit from Early Treadmill Exercise
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., NOV. 15, 2001 – Babies with Down syndrome can learn to walk at an earlier age with regular exercise on a treadmill, according to a newly-published study supported in part by the March of Dimes.
According to lead researcher Dale Ulrich, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan, learning to walk and being able to explore their surroundings at an earlier age may be very important for learning development in children with Down syndrome.
Dr. Ulrich received March of Dimes funding from 1997 to 1999 for kinesiology (movement) studies aimed at overcoming the delayed start of walking in babies with Down syndrome, who usually begin to walk about one year later than nonaffected infants.
In this month’s issue of Pediatrics, Dr. Ulrich and colleagues report their finding that babies with Down syndrome began walking an average of three and a half months sooner if they practiced on a slow treadmill for eight minutes a day, five days a week. Some of the infants started the exercise as early as six months of age.
The study used specialized small treadmills, but Dr. Ulrich said any treadmill was useful, as long as it could be brought down to a speed of a half-mile per hour, The New York Times has reported.
"Given that most parents of infants with Down syndrome want their children to walk independently long before their second birthday, medical professionals should consider encouraging parents to use this skill-specific approach as a supplement to their treatments for the young child with Down syndrome," Dr. Ulrich said.
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that includes a combination of birth defects including some degree of mental retardation, characteristic facial features and, often, heart defects, visual and hearing impairment, and other health problems. The severity of these problems varies greatly among affected individuals.
Down syndrome is one of the most common genetic birth defects, affecting approximately one in 800 to 1,000 babies. There are approximately 350,000 individuals with Down syndrome in the United States, according to the National Down Syndrome Society.
Dr. Ulrich’s grant from the March of Dimes began when he was associate professor at Indiana University.
"Treadmill Training of Infants With Down Syndrome: Evidence-Based Developmental Outcomes," by Dale A. Ulrich, Ph.D., director of the Center for Motor Behavior in Down Syndrome at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, et al., appeared in Pediatrics, Volume 108, Number 5, November 2001.
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies. For more information call 1-888-MODIMES.
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