Based on article: Bicycle for Children with Down Syndrome

Bicycle for Children with Down Syndrome
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Introduction
The decision of selecting the article on benefits of physical activity and particularly riding a two-wheel bicycle for children with Down syndrome was based on the intent to perform such works in future during my line of duty as a Physical Therapist Assistant( PTA). This kind of physical activity would be very beneficial to the children with Down syndrome, as the study recommends. Since the syndrome has a physical shortcoming in the affected people, it would be beneficial in enhancing the physical performance of children. My greatest desire is to see jovial and lively children regardless of their health conditions and thus engagement of physical therapy and specifically the one involved in this study is one-step of ensuring that children with Down syndrome are improving their physical status (Ulrich, Burghardt, Lloyd, Tiernan, Hornyak, 2011). In addition, the article will impact personal knowledge on the benefits of this kind of exercise and the way it helps, where it would be applied even in future therapy. Thus, this realization was able to uncover the significance of riding two-wheel bicycle by the Down syndrome children.
The article presents a study that highly recommends physical activities for people with disabilities and more particularly, the children with Down syndrome. Thus, the reports recommended that professionals in this area develop methods of promoting physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviors amongst the individuals with disabilities. Down syndrome being one of the mentioned disabilities that require physical activities is a disorder that is recognized soon after or before birth. It possesses the confidence of developmental delays amongst the affected children. In a country like the United States, Down syndrome takes place around one point thirty six times (1.36) in every one thousand live births. One of the most common genetic causes of this disorder is Trisomy 21, where the extra chromosome twenty-one copy effects in gene expression. The over expression of gene results to a very complex phenotype that causes the significant alterations of both cognitive and physiological developments. The article further states that the children with Down syndrome experience considerable delays in the beginning of early motor milestones as well as display qualitative distinctions in movement patterns as compared to children that tend to show typical development. The main purpose of the physical activities in these kinds of children is activating their body system, as they possess higher rates of obesity and overweight. This kind of research where physical activities are practiced in relation to health is rare, especially for the children or people with Down syndrome. The article reviews on a certain study that examined the patterns of physical activities in a number of thirty sibling pairs, through the reports from parents. The results showed that parents of these children perceived that their children were less active in terms of physical activities than their siblings that had TD. In addition, the reports of another study conducted on the physical activity stages of children that have Down syndrome and with the mean age of seven point one (7.1) years, together with the siblings with TD via the employment of accelerometers. These results showed that in a period of more than seven days, the standard length of a session of energetic physical activity was considerably shorter amongst the children with Down syndrome.
The research further indicates that the biggest number of the children with Down syndrome finally learn a fundamental range of motor skills although they tend to fall further behind in comparison with their peers as they grow older. One of the most important culturally skills that is rarely practiced is riding a two-wheel bicycle. Yet, riding a bicycle in childhood period offers many chances for engagement of physical activities and the extended chances for social relations with the peers, family members as well as the community members. A report by Menear indicated that parents viewed riding bicycle as a skill suitable for increasing opportunities for the participation of their children with the community as well as interacting with peers. Some latest study has demonstrated clearly that negative impacts are brought about by the sedentary conducts on health. The children as well as adolescents with Down syndrome are believed to be less vigorous than their peers that have TD. On the other hand, a little research was conducted on testing and designing interventions to reduce sedentary behaviors in the people with Down syndrome and enhance the time likely to be spent in the physical activity. The article states that a rate of less than ten percent of the children that suffer from Down syndrome from the age of eight to fifteen years are capable of riding a two-wheel bicycle. The intervention research also demonstrated over a period of five days that a big number of children with Down syndrome are capable of learning how to ride a two-wheel bicycle on the condition that they would receive individualized and intensive instruction. The children that learned how to ride the bicycle tended to demonstrate an important decrease in the time spent in sedentary activity after twelve months of training as well as a cutback in subcutaneous fat. The physical therapists advice the parents of the children with Down syndrome to seek a bicycle-training program that would be helpful in their condition, for instance the training offered by the Lose the Training Wheels organization. It is then advisable to be persis...