What are the goals of physical therapy for children with Down syndrome?

• A. Promote function in well-aligned postures; Prevent compensatory movement; Build strength; Promote cardiopulmonary fitness.
• B. Promote gait with maximum speed; Avoid all stretching; Focus only on social skills; Delay all activities.
• C. Improve handwriting only; Avoid any physical activity; Use rigid braces at all times; Minimize cardiovascular effort.
• D. Improve academic performance; Ignore physical development; Limit family involvement; Focus on speech alone.

Answer: (A)

Children with Down syndrome often have low muscle tone and ligament laxity, which makes it hard to maintain good posture and move efficiently. Physical therapy focuses on functional movement by teaching and reinforcing positions of good alignment, so daily activities are performed with less effort and less risk of developing compensatory patterns that can lead to stiffness or deformities later.

Building strength, especially in the core and lower limbs, supports better standing, transfers, and gait, while improving cardiopulmonary fitness increases endurance and participation in activities. Together, these goals promote safe, independent mobility and engagement in daily life, school, and social activities.

Other approaches that emphasize only speed, or ignore physical activity, or focus on non-physical domains miss the core purpose of PT for Down syndrome, which is to maximize functional movement, joint safety, and overall fitness.