The effect of simultaneous Superficial and Proprioceptive Stimulations on Dexterity of Educable 6-7 Years Old Children with Down Syndrome مقالة

The effect of simultaneous Superficial and Proprioceptive Stimulations on Dexterity of Educable 6-7 Years Old Children with Down Syndrome Meisam Mohammadi, PhD Faculty of Neuroscience, University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran Amir Rahmani Rasa, MSc Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences and Hamedan, Iran Robab Teymouri, PhD, Masoud Gharib*, MSc, Tabassom Matin, MSc Pediatric Neurorehabilitation Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran Down syndrome is the most common chrosomal disorder in which the fine and gross motor skills due to lack of proper sensory experience are disturbed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of simultaneous application of superficial and proprioceptive stimuli on the dexterity of 6-7 year-old educable children with Down syndrome. Key words: Proprioception, Superficial, Dexterity, Down syndrome, Sensory integration Introduction According to the significance of motor skills especially upper limbs in maintaining child's independence and developing other skills such as self- help, play, social and academic achievement and their adaptation to environment, improving gross and fine motor skills of children with Down syndrome is a considerable aspect in functional development. In a study carried out by Uyanik and colleagues, through comparing three 15-child groups of children with Down syndrome who benefited from different therapeutic services including sensory integration, sensory integration accompanying vestibular stimulation and neurodevelopmental therapy, they indicated that application of a combination of the above mentioned methods have the best effects.