How Treadmills are Helping Babies with Down Syndrome

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

22 Nov 2008 11:19 PM

You may never look at your treadmill the same way again...

According to new study, placing infants with Down syndrome on a treadmill for just a few minutes per day can help them walk up to four or five months earlier than with only traditional physical therapy. Researchers at the University of Michigan say the landmark study also suggests that infants who do high intensity treadmill training may walk even sooner.

"The key is if we can get them to walk earlier and better then they can explore their environment earlier and when you start to explore, you learn about the world around you," the study's author noted. "Walking is a critical factor in development in every other domain."

Doctors say getting infants to walk, especially those who are diagnosed with Down syndrome, is critical because so many other skills (including social skills, motor skills, and spatial cognition) take their cue from mobility. According to researchers, the average infant learns to walk independently at about 12 months of age. Meanwhile, babies with Down syndrome typically learn to take independent steps at 24-28 months.

In the University of Michigan study, 30 infants were randomly assigned generalized treadmill training, or high intensity, individualized treadmill training. In each case the child used a treadmill at home for eight minutes a day, five days per week.

Researchers had a parent sit on a bench that straddled the treadmill while holding their infant upright as he or she took steps on the moving belt. According to the study, all of the babies began with low intensity training, but after the infants could take 10, 20, and 30 steps per minute, intensity was gradually increased for half the study group.

High intensity training included increasing the treadmill belt speed and adding light weights to the ankles. In the end researchers found that infants in the higher-intensity training group increased their walking skills dramatically over the course of training. Researchers say they hope to use their findings to encourage more hospitals to rent treadmills to parents with Down syndrome children.

Related Articles:

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Kids and Fitness---One Sport or Many?

Motivating Your Kids to Move

How to Get Your Kids in Shape

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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