Importance of early stimulation for motor development in children with Down syndrome: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective: To describe the importance of early stimulation for motor development in children from 0 to 6 years old with Down syndrome (DS).

Method: A bibliographic review of the studies published in the Web of science, Scopus, Pubmed, Eric and Scielo databases between the years 2010-2020 was carried out.

Results: The results yielded a total of 146 articles, where after eliminating duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 6 articles were selected for the qualitative synthesis of this systematic review. Studies show the importance of motor stimulation in children with DS from early childhood, the earlier the stimulation, the more effective the progress. For this, key aspects must be taken into consideration in working with the family and teachers.

Conclusion: The appropriate family environment, the teaching role and specialized stimulation programs are necessary to achieve efficient motor development in children with DS.