Children with Down syndrome improved in motor functioning and muscle tone following massage therapy

Abstract

Twenty‐one moderate to high functioning young children (mean age, two years) with Down syndrome receiving early intervention (physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy) were randomly assigned to additionally receive two 0.5‐hour massage therapy or reading sessions (control group) per week for two months. On the first and last day of the study, the children’s functioning levels were assessed using the Developmental Programming for Infants and Young Children scale, and muscle tone was assessed using a new preliminary scale (the Arms, Legs and Trunk Muscle Tone Score). Children in the massage therapy group revealed greater gains in fine and gross motor functioning and less severe limb hypotonicity when compared with the children in the reading/control group. These findings suggest that the addition of massage therapy to an early intervention program may enhance motor functioning and increase muscle tone for children with Down syndrome.

Keywords:

• Down syndrome
• Massage therapy
• Early intervention
• Muscle tone
• Fine motor
• Gross motor
• Motor functioning
• Hypotonic

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the children and parents who participated in this study, Barbie Levine, LMT for developing the massage therapy routine and all of the therapists whom worked on this project. They would also like to acknowledge the staff of the Easter Seal Society of Miami and the Debbie Institute for their invaluable assistance with data collection. This study was supported by an NIMH Research Scientist Award (#MH00331) to Tiffany Field and funding from Johnson & Johnson to the Touch Research Institutes.