OBJECTIVES: Every year, 150-200 children are born with Down syndrome in Hungary, thus their number at preschool age is quite high. Our aim was to assess the passive range of motion, the muscle strength and the balance of preschool children with Down syndrome and to examine the effectiveness of a 12-week exercise program.

METHODS: 10 preschool children with Down syndrome (mean age: 3-8 years) were selected. The study was conducted in a special skill developer kindergarten in Budapest, between 2017-2019. Passive range of motion was measured by goniometry. The muscle strength tests were based on the measurement protocol of Stanley Hoppenfeld. For balance two Flamingo tests were used. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 22.0 version and results were considered significant at p<0.05.

RESULTS: Children showed a significant improvement in the passive range of motion p<0.001 (trunk flexion: 80^o, 96^o; trunk extension: 20^o, 28^o; trunk lateralflexion: 30^o, 35^o; trunk rotation: 40^o, 46^o; shoulder flexion: 165^o, 174^o; shoulder abduction: 150^o, 159^o; shoulder outward rotation: 25^o, 33^o; p=0.001; elbow flexion: 120^o, 127^o; lower arm supination: 80^o, 90^o; p=0.004; lower arm pronation: 75^o, 84^o; wrist palmarflexion: 70^o, 76^o; wrist dorsalflexion: 50^o, 55^o; hip flexion: 110^o, 125^o; hip extension: 20^o, 32^o; hip abduction: 30^o, 35^o; p=0.001; hip outward rotation: 25^o, 33^o; knee flexion: 110^o, 128^o; ankle dorsalflexion: 20^o, 26^o; wrist unlardeviation: 20^o,26^o; p=0.030; wrist radialdeviation: 10^o,17^o, balance (Flamingo test) (47, 51 sec; p<0.001) and more difficult Flamingo test (35, 40 sec; p<0.001), as well as the muscle strength in the bigger muscle groups (trunk flexor-extensor, shoulder and elbow flexor, hip extensor, knee flexor-extensor, plantarflexor) also improved following the exercise program.

CONCLUSIONS: As a result of the program the passive movement, the muscle strength and the balance of the children improved, that plays an important role in the motor development of children with Down syndrome.