Physiotherapy in Down Syndrome: A Literature Review

Introduction: Down syndrome is a genetic condition arising from three chromosomal abnormalities, namely trisomy 21 (the most well-known); translocation, and/or mosaicism. This chromosome change occurs in the formation of the fetus, in more detail at the time of cell division, which will characterize the signs and symptoms of the syndrome.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to research the main scientific findings in the last 10 years regarding physical therapy treatments, to verify the best techniques and their respective results, and to address the role of physiotherapy in the development of children with Down syndrome.

Methods: The research only included studies published in the period from 2009 to 2019, systematic review articles and limited the Portuguese and English languages ​​were excluded, excluding all incomplete articles, duplications, abstracts that did not address, and those works that do not have a scientific basis.

Results: In this systematic review, it can be seen that the main research results were disseminated and stored in databases (SciELO, Medline, and LILACS), focusing on the study of and DS patients, specifical children in early childhood. There are few studies on down syndrome in adults. Another important aspect is the concentration of research in the field of sports physiotherapy, few studies have focused on other areas of physiotherapy, such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and cognitive physiotherapy, which go in the opposite direction.

Conclusion: Physiotherapy for patients with DS can improve the quality and life expectancy of these individuals, but the needs of patients with this syndrome involve some physical, physiological and psychological aspects and require the attention of a multidisciplinary team.