[Comparison of functional performance among children with Down syndrome and children with age-appropriate development at 2 and 5 years of age].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the functional performance of Down's syndrome (DS) children with normally developing children (ND), at 2 and 5 years of age.


METHODS
Forty children were allocated into four groups (n=10): 1) children with DS with 2 years of age; 2) children with DS with 5 years of age; 3) normal children with 2 years of age; 4) normal children with 5 years of age. Children were evaluated with the functional test PEDI, which quantifies children's performance (skills and independence) in three domains: self-care, mobility and social function. Two-way ANOVA was used to compare group means and to test interaction effects age x pathology. Pre-planned contrast analyses were used to identify the significant bivariate comparisons.


RESULTS
Main factors (age and pathology) were significant in the three domains of skills and independence performances. The interaction factor age x pathology was significant in self-care and mobility skills, as well as in children's independence in mobility and social function. Contrast analyses showed that at two years of age, normal children's performance is superior to DS's children in all three domains of functional skills and independence. However, at five years of age, significant group differences were only observed in the domains of self-care and social function skills, and independence.


CONCLUSIONS
Results show the areas of performance where the delay presented by DS children was functionally manifested, at two and five years of age. Data indicate that the observed group differences were influenced by age, keeping themselves changeable across the development.
Mancini
Marisa Cotta
MC
Departamento de Terapia Ocupacional, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. mcmancini@pib.com.br
Carvalho e Silva
Priscila
P
Gonçalves
Sabrina Corrêa
SC
Martins
Simone de Medeiros
Sde M
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019988:Children with Disabilities; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012648:Self Care; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors