The psychomotor development of the baby with Down syndrome is slower than infants of the same age but with proper early stimulation, which can start as early as the first month of life, these babies may be able to sit, crawl, walk and talk, but if they are not encouraged to do so, these development milestones will happen even later.
While a baby who does not have Down Syndrome is able to sit down without support and remain seated for more than 1 minute, around 6 months of age, the baby with Down's syndrome properly stimulated may be able to sit without support at around 7 or 8 months, while infants with Down syndrome who are not stimulated will be able to sit around 10-12 months of age.
When the baby will sit, crawl and walk
The baby with Down Syndrome has hypotonia, which is a weakness of all the muscles of the body due to the immaturity of the central nervous system and so the physiotherapy is very useful to stimulate the baby to hold the head, sit, crawl, stay walking and walking.
On average, babies with Down Syndrome:
| With Down Syndrome and Physiotherapy | Without syndrome | |
| Hold your head | 7 months | 3 months |
| Stay seated | 10 months | 5 to 7 months |
| Can you roll alone? | 8 to 9 months | Five months |
| Starts to crawl | 11 months | 6 to 9 months |
| Can stand with little help | 13 to 15 months | 9 to 12 months |
| Good foot control | 20 months | 1 month after standing |
| Begins to walk | 20 to 26 months | 9 to 15 months |
| Start talking | First words around 3 years old | Put together 2 words in a sentence at 2 years |
This table reflects the need for psychomotor stimulation for babies with Down syndrome and this type of treatment should be performed by the physiotherapist and the psychomotor therapist, although the motor stimulation performed by the parents at home is equally beneficial and complements the stimulus that the baby with Syndrome of Down needs daily.
When the child does not undergo physiotherapy, this period may be much longer and the child can start walking only around 3 years of age, which may impair their interaction with other children of the same age.
Find out what the exercises are like to help your baby develop faster.
Where to do physiotherapy for Down Syndrome
There are a number of physiotherapy clinics suitable for the treatment of children with Dow's Syndrome, but those who have a specialty for treatment through psychomotor stimulation and neurological dysfunctions should be preferred.
Babies with Down syndrome from families with low financial resources can participate in the psychomotor stimulation programs of the APAE, Association of Parents and Friends of the Exceptional, spread all over the country. In these institutions they will be stimulated by the power and manual work and will do the exercises that will help in their development.
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