| "body"> | | | | and pelvis tilted back, and standing with a |
| Parents of a child with Down syndrome have their | | | | stomach out and back arched, in a more |
| hands full just trying to get used to their child's | | | | pronounced, difficult, and precarious way. |
| condition. What could get them more dubious is | | | | While it is true that your child is going to learn |
| when someone suggests that their child should | | | | how to walk eventually and that what is only |
| have a physical therapist. Why physical therapy? | | | | takes is for you wait more patiently, it would still |
| Won't he learn to walk and run, just like other | | | | be more worthwhile if you avoid making that wait |
| children do? | | | | wasted. Physical therapy during this development |
| Down syndrome and physical therapy may be an | | | | stage is so powerful in preventing impending |
| odd pair yet the parent should realize the inherent | | | | orthopedic problems in your child once he reaches |
| benefits that physical therapy could offer. First of | | | | his adolescence and adulthood. Otherwise his |
| all, the arrangement of Down syndrome and | | | | physical functioning will have the tendency to be |
| physical therapy offers the child one of the most | | | | impaired later in life. Physical therapy can help a |
| important services he will receive in the early | | | | child with a Down syndrome by proactively |
| intervention period. It is during this early phase | | | | teaching him some optimal movement patterns to |
| that the Down syndrome and physical therapy | | | | developed strength in particular muscles. |
| match will have the greatest chemistry to | | | | And aside from eliminating the compensatory |
| improve the child's condition in the future. | | | | movement patterns that the child with a Down |
| Although the limitation of having a child with a | | | | syndrome is prone to, physical therapy can also |
| Down syndrome and physical therapy as his early | | | | help the child in attaining a mastery of his total |
| treatment is apparently that it does not | | | | motor development. His total motor development |
| accelerate the rate at which the child achieves his | | | | - rolling over, sitting, crawling and walking are the |
| total motor skill, physical therapy still helps the | | | | first challenges he will meet in life. Hence this will |
| child in avoiding his development of abnormal | | | | also be his first area of strength. Once the both |
| compensatory movement patterns. A child having | | | | of you has learned how to walk, your team will |
| a Down syndrome and physical therapy deficit are | | | | advance to refining the pattern, ultimately allowing |
| nearly certain that they will develop the following | | | | you to access community recreation programs |
| compensatory movement patterns: standing and | | | | like 'gymboree', dance, gymnastics, or any other |
| walking with hips in external rotation, knees stiff, | | | | program that you both would enjoy in. |
| feet flat and turned out, sitting with trunk rounded | | | | |