Assesment of hand dexterity on down syndrome adolescents

The incidence of Down syndrome occurs most frequently among chromosomal disorders. A lot of of disfunctions such as musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal system disorders, cardiovascular system disorders, opthalmological findings, dermatological, psychological and neurological disorders can be observed in individuals with Down syndrome. Not only mental retardation but also motor development disorder can appear at individuals with Down syndrome. Babies with Down syndrome show slower progress in motor development than healthy babies. The main purpose of this study is to determine the modifications of motor skills, grasping and gripping abilities at teenagers with Down syndrome. The other purpose of the study consists establishing a relation between the physical characteristics of the individuals with Down syndrome and their performances. There have been studied the measurement and test results of 11 individuals with Down syndrome and 11 healthy individuals of the same age and gender. All individuals were boys and their ages varied between 15 and 17 years old. Fine motor ability of the chosen individuals was tested by using Purdue Pegboard test. Grasping and gripping abilities were tested with Jamar hand dynamometer and B&L pinchmeter. Anthropometric indications for forearm and hand were measured by using a tape measure. It was determined that there are significant differences between healthy individuals and individuals with Down syndrome regarding the fine motor ability. Similarly, it was observed that grasping and gripping abilities are slower in individuals with Down syndrome. Consequently, there is a relation between strength ability and skill levels. It has been also determined a relation between strength abilities of tall individuals and their skill levels. These results may guide us to place individuals with Down syndromes in suitable jobs, to plan their rehabilitation programs and to determine suitable ergonomic approach for them.