Occupational Therapy Home Programs in Children With Down Syndrome

Bezmialem Vakif University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Occupational Therapy; Down Syndrome; Feeding Problem

Treatments: Other: Occupational therapy home program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06244108

Zengin0001

Details and patient eligibility

About

Children with Down Syndrome frequently encounter difficulties with sensory functions and feeding, such as oral sensory processing issues and developmental disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an Occupational Therapy Home Program on the sensory functions and feeding issues of children with Down Syndrome.

Full description

Although there are studies that investigate nutritional issues in children with Down syndrome, no well-structured, high-evidence, and individual-centered studies have been found. The literature assumes a relationship between the sensory functions and nutritional status of children with Down syndrome. Therefore, further studies are needed to develop intervention programs to prevent sensory processing and nutritional problems.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy home programs in improving sensory functions and feeding problems in children with Down syndrome. The study focuses on evidence-based practices to assess the impact of these programs compared to not providing them.

The study will be conducted with children diagnosed with Down Syndrome who have applied to the Pediatrics Unit of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences.

The study comprises pre-evaluation, final evaluation, and intervention stages. Following the initial evaluation, an occupational therapy home intervention program will be implemented for the children before and after each meal, seven days a week, for eight weeks. Evaluations will be repeated after the eight-week period.

Enrollment: 38 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 10 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Be between the ages of 3-10
• Having Down Syndrome
• Families agree to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Having previously received sensory integration and/or occupational therapy treatment
• Having a secondary diagnosis other than Down Syndrome (Mental Retardation, etc.)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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38 participants in 2 patient groups

OTHP Group (Intervention Group)

Experimental group

Description:

Children with Down syndrome will undergo an 8-week occupational therapy home program (OTHP). Evaluations will be conducted at the beginning and end of the intervention, and the results will be compared.

Treatment:

Other: Occupational therapy home program

None OTHP Group (Control group)

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group (non-OTHP) will not receive occupational therapy home program, even if they have Down syndrome. Evaluations will be conducted at 8-week intervals, with the first and last evaluations being compared.