Therapeutic Exercise to Improve Motor Function Among Children with Down Syndrome Aged 0 to 3 Years: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of therapeutic exercises on the motor function of children with Down syndrome (DS) aged 0 to 3 years.Data Sources: A search was carried out on PubMed, PEDro, EMBASE, SCIELO, Lilacs, Cochrane library without publication date restrictions for the terms.Study Selection: The search yielded 1384 eligible articles, which were screened by 2 reviewers. RCTs that would have evaluated the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise were selected, and that would have reported the effectiveness in the outcomes.Data Extraction: The methodology and results of the studies were critically appraised in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes guidelines. Data Synthesis: Six studies were included. Two types of therapeutic exercises, aerobic and neuromuscular, were identified. A therapeutic aerobic exercise was performed using the treadmill, while a neuromuscular exercise was done using unstable surfaces. The exercise frequency ranged from three days to five days a week, and the duration of each session was between six and 15 minutes. Conclusion: There is moderate to high evidence to support that therapeutic exercise promotes the occurrence of motor patterns such as gait patterns and enhances the motor skills of children with DS aged 0 to 3 years.