Strength of relationship between body mass index and gross motor capacity in youth with intellectual disabilities.

Background: Adequate skill levels of gross motor capacity affect activities of daily living, participation in recreational activities and general physical activity levels of youths (7-21 years). Most studies of typically developing youths have reported significant negative relationships between gross motor capacity and body mass index. The latter findings are especially of concern for youths with intellectual disabilities in that it has been estimated that 61% of children and 66% of adolescents were classified as overweight/obese.

Homogeneity in Motor Competence Among Youths With Intellectual Disability With and Without Down Syndrome.

Purpose: To determine if there is a homogeneity of scores for youth with intellectual disability (ID) with and without Down syndrome (DS) in 19 test items of motor competence from the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition (BOT-2). Homogeneity was defined as the means for each of the 19 test items scores by sex and the presence or absence of DS sharing the same population mean.

Method: Participants were 622 youth with ID aged 6 to 21 years.

Association of muscular strength with total and central adiposity in adolescents with intellectual disability.

Background: It has been established that for youth without disabilities, muscular strength (MS) is negatively associated with total and central adiposity. However, this relationship has not been clearly established for youth with intellectual disability (ID). The purpose of this study was to examine the association of MS with total and central adiposity in adolescents with ID.

Association between sleep quality and physical functioning in adults with Down syndrome: A brief report.

Background: Sleep quality is associated with physical functioning in adults, but this has not been examined in those with Down syndrome (DS). High body mass index (BMI) and accelerated aging, both common in adults with DS, may alter the relationship between sleep quality and physical functioning in this population.

Objective: To examine sleep quality indicators and its association with physical functioning in adults with DS, and whether associations are altered by BMI and age.

Comparing Motor Competence of Sex- and Age-Matched Youth With Intellectual Disability From Brazil and the United States.

Youth with intellectual disabilities (IDs) demonstrate below-criteria motor competence (MC) compared with typically developing (TD) youth. Whether differences in MC exist for youth with ID from different countries is unknown. This study examined the MC of youth with ID from Brazil (BR) and the United States (US) and compared it with norms for TD youth as established by the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2).

Measuring for nonsynostotic head deformities in preterm infants during NICU management: A pilot study.

Background: Research has focused on the presence of nonsynostotic head deformities (NHD: plagiocephaly, dolichocephaly, brachycephaly) in preterm infants at discharge and within the first year after discharge. However, there is limited data on NHD in preterm neonates during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay.

Aim: To acquire quantitative data on head shapes among preterm neonates during NICU hospital stay.

Balance and Coordination Proficiency of Age-Matched Male and Female Children and Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities.

Male youth (8-18 years) with intellectual disability (ID) demonstrate motor proficiency below age-related competence capacities for typically developing youth. Whether below-criteria motor proficiency also exists for females with ID is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine if sex-specific differences exist in motor proficiency for youth with ID.

Balance and Coordination Capacities of Male Children and Adolescents With Intellectual Disability.

Children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) exhibit a mixture of cognitive, motor, and psychosocial limitation. Identifying specific inadequacies in motor proficiency in youth with ID would improve therapeutic management to enhance functional capacity and health-related physical activity. The purpose of this study was to initiate descriptive data collection of gross motor skills of youth with ID and compare those skills with competency norms.

Accuracy of a piezoelectric pedometer in persons with and without Down syndrome.

Background: Piezoelectric pedometers with a tri-axial accelerometer mechanism may effectively monitor physical activity in persons with Down syndrome (DS), but their accuracy has not been determined in this population.

Aim: To examine the accuracy of a pedometer with a tri-axial accelerometer mechanism in measuring steps at different walking speeds in persons with and without DS.

Methods: Eighteen persons with DS (8 women; age 25±7y) and 22 persons without DS (9 women; 26±5y) participated in this study.

Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents with Down syndrome-prevalence, determinants, consequences, and interventions: A literature review.

Background: Children with Down syndrome (DS) are more likely to be overweight or obese than the general population of youth without DS.

Aims: To review the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their determinants in youth with DS. The health consequences and the effectiveness of interventions were also examined.

Measuring joint hypermobility using the Beighton scale in children with intellectual disability.

Purpose: To determine the feasibility and reliability of using the 9-point Beighton Hypermobility Score (9-BHS) with youth with intellectual disabilities using a least to most prompting technique.

Method: One hundred one youth (5-18 years old) enrolled in the study. Two separate evaluations, separated by 3 to 4 weeks, were performed on 25 participants.

Impact of obesity and Down syndrome on peak heart rate and aerobic capacity in youth and adults.

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit reduced aerobic capacity with reduced peak heart rate (HR). This condition is often coexistent with higher level of obesity compared to individuals without DS. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of obesity and Down syndrome (DS) on peak heart rate (HR) and peak oxygen consumption (VO) in children and adults both with and without intellectual disabilities (ID)s.

Normal HR with tilt, yet autonomic dysfunction in persons with Down syndrome.

Unlabelled: Persons with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit altered autonomic function at rest and in response to adrenergic stimuli. It is unknown whether a subset of persons with DS that have similar HR responses to a task would have similar responses in HR variability (HRV).

Purpose: This study aimed to compare cardiac autonomic function during upright tilt using HRV analysis in persons with and without DS when persons with and without DS were matched for the change in HR.

Heart rate complexity in response to upright tilt in persons with Down syndrome.

People with Down syndrome (DS) show altered autonomic response to sympatho-excitation. Cardiac autonomic modulation may be examined with heart rate (HR) complexity which is associated uniquely with cardiovascular risk. This study examined whether the response of HR complexity to passive upright tilt differs between persons with and without DS and whether potential between-group differences in this response are accounted for by differences in body mass index (BMI).

Prediction of VO2peak from the 20-m shuttle-run test in youth with Down syndrome.

This study examined whether 20-m shuttle-run performance, sex, body mass index (BMI), age, height, and weight are associated with peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in youth with Down syndrome (DS; n = 53; 25 women, age 8-20 years) and whether these variables can be used to develop an equation to predict VO2peak. BMI, 20-m shuttle-run performance, and sex were significantly associated with VO2peak in youth with DS, whereas age, height, and weight were not. A regression model included only shuttle-run performance as a significant predictor of VO2peak; however, the developed prediction equation had low individual predictability.

The effect of progressive resistance training on leg strength, aerobic capacity and functional tasks of daily living in persons with Down syndrome.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of progressive resistance training on leg strength, aerobic capacity and physical function in persons with Down syndrome (DS).

Method: Thirty persons with DS (age 28 SD 8 years) were assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention group performed resistance training 2 days per week for 10 weeks.

Using pedometers to measure moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for youth with an intellectual disability.

Background: Pedometers serve as one of the most feasible and cost-effective methods for frontline practitioners to measure moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of youth with an intellectual disability (YwID) but, historically, pedometers have been unable to measure MVPA. Technological advancements now allow pedometers to measure MVPA via step frequency (steps per minute). Translating the output of this technology into practical information that frontline practitioners and families can use, however, will require accurate step frequency guidelines.

The effect of physical fitness training on reaction time in youth with intellectual disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether reaction time in persons with intellectual disabilities can be improved with an exercise program. 50 children and adolescents (M age = 14.7 yr.

Autonomic response to upright tilt in people with and without Down syndrome.

This study examined whether the autonomic response to passive upright tilt as evidenced by changes in measures of heart rate and blood pressure variability differs between individuals with DS and without DS. Beat-to-beat blood pressure was measured in 26 individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and 11 individuals without DS during 5 min of rest and 5 min of upright tilt. Dependent variables included heart rate, blood pressure, frequency component measures of heart rate and blood pressure variability, and baroreflex sensitivity.

Physical fitness predicts functional tasks in individuals with Down syndrome.

Unlabelled: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit reduced strength and aerobic capacity, which may limit their ability to perform functional tasks of daily living.

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between timed performance on functional tasks of daily living and age, knee isometric strength, and peak aerobic capacity in a group of individuals with DS.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 35 individuals (27 +/- 7.

Accuracy of pedometer steps and time for youth with intellectual disabilities during dynamic movements.

Pedometer accuracy for steps and activity time during dynamic movement for youth with intellectual disabilities (ID) were examined. Twenty-four youth with ID (13 girls, 13.1 +/- 3.

Physical activity levels of children with intellectual disabilities during school.

Introduction: Current guidelines recommend school-age children accumulate at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on most days of the week. Little is known about the activity level of school-age children with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Purpose: To evaluate physical activity patterns of children with ID during three school settings: adapted physical education (APE, 55 min), classroom (CR, 55 min), and recess (RE, 25 min).

Catecholamine response to maximal exercise in persons with Down syndrome.

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit low peak aerobic capacities and heart rates. Although autonomic modulation is attenuated in individuals with DS at rest, the exercise response appears normal. This suggests that mechanisms other than autonomic control influence the low aerobic capacity, such as catecholamine responsiveness to exercise.

Complexity of force output during static exercise in individuals with Down syndrome.

Force variability is greater in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) compared with persons without DS and is similar to that seen with normal aging. The purpose of this study was to examine the structure (in both time and frequency domains) of force output variability in persons with DS to determine whether deficits in force control are similar between individuals with DS and older adults. An isometric handgrip task at a constant force (30% of maximal voluntary contraction) was completed by individuals with DS (n = 29, age 26 yr), and healthy young (n = 26, age 27 yr) and older (n = 33, age 70 yr) individuals.

Age-related changes in aerobic capacity in individuals with mental retardation: a 20-yr review.

Introduction: Persons with mental retardation (MR), particularly individuals with Down syndrome (DS), have been found to have attenuated peak exercise responses in previous research. However, it is unknown if the pattern of age-associated changes in HR or aerobic capacity (VO2peak) is similar to individuals without disabilities.

Purpose: To investigate age-related changes in aerobic capacity in persons with MR, with and without DS, using a retrospective analysis.