Clinical abnormalities, early intervention program of Down syndrome children: Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health experience.
OBJECTIVE
Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health is a tertiary institute of children in Thailand, where early intervention programs have been provided since 1990 by multidisciplinary approach especially in Down syndrome children. This aim of the present study is to follow the impact of early intervention on the outcome of Down syndrome children. The school attendance number of Down syndrome children was compared between regular early intervention and non-regular early intervention.


METHODS
The present study group consists of 210 Down syndrome children who attended early intervention programs at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health between June 2008 and January 2012. Data include clinical features, school attendance developmental quotient (DQ) at 3 years of age using Capute Scales Cognitive Adaptive Test/Scale (CAT/CLAMS). Developmental milestones have been recorded as to the time of appearance of gross motor, fine motor, language, personal-social development compared to those non-regular intervention patients.


RESULTS
Of 210 Down syndrome children, 117 were boys and 93 were girls. About 87% received regular intervention, 68% attended speech training. Mean DQ at 3 years of age was 65. Of the 184 children who still did follow-up at developmental department, 124 children (59%) attended school: mainstream school children 78 (63%) and special school children 46 (37%). The mean age at entrance to school was 5.8 ± 1.4 years. The school attendance was correlated with maternal education and regular early intervention attendance.


CONCLUSIONS
Regular early intervention starts have proven to have a positive effect on development. The school attendance number of Down syndrome children receiving regular early intervention was statistically and significantly higher than the number of Down syndrome children receiving non-regular early intervention was. School attendance correlated with maternal education and attended regularly early intervention. Regular early intervention together with maternal education are contributing factors influencing school attendance in Down syndrome children in the present study
Adidsuda
A
Fuengfoo
Kim
K
Sakulnoom
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000379:methods*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods; D013785:Thailand