NCT06244108

Occupational Therapy Home Programs in Children With Down Syndrome

The Effect of Occupational Therapy Home Programs on Sensory Processing and Feeding Problems in Children With Down Syndrome: A Randomised Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 38 (actual)
• Sponsor: Bezmialem Vakif University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 3 Years – 10 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Children with Down Syndrome frequently encounter difficulties with sensory functions and feeding, such as oral sensory processing issues and developmental disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an Occupational Therapy Home Program on the sensory functions and feeding issues of children with Down Syndrome.

Detailed description

Although there are studies that investigate nutritional issues in children with Down syndrome, no well-structured, high-evidence, and individual-centered studies have been found. The literature assumes a relationship between the sensory functions and nutritional status of children with Down syndrome. Therefore, further studies are needed to develop intervention programs to prevent sensory processing and nutritional problems. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy home programs in improving sensory functions and feeding problems in children with Down syndrome. The study focuses on evidence-based practices to assess the impact of these programs compared to not providing them. The study will be conducted with children diagnosed with Down Syndrome who have applied to the Pediatrics Unit of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences. The study comprises pre-evaluation, final evaluation, and intervention stages. Following the initial evaluation, an occupational therapy home intervention program will be implemented for the children before and after each meal, seven days a week, for eight weeks. Evaluations will be repeated after the eight-week period.

Conditions

• Down Syndrome
• Occupational Therapy
• Feeding Problem

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Occupational therapy home program	After evaluating the children, an occupational therapy home intervention program will be developed for each child. The program will be monitored through telephone and computer interviews, as well as video, photo, and audio recordings. The interventions in this study were selected based on successful occupational therapy home programs for children with disabilities. The program consists of five steps. Step 1 is to establish collaborative relationships with parents. Step 2 is to determine the most appropriate goals for the child and their family. Step 3 involves selecting the most suitable therapeutic activities to achieve these goals. Step 4 is to educate and support parents in performing these therapeutic activities. Finally, Step 5 involves measuring the results and providing feedback.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-01-10
• Primary completion: 2024-01-10
• Completion: 2024-01-15
• First posted: 2024-02-06
• Last updated: 2024-02-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)