The purpose of this study was to examine the gross motor and fine motor abilities of children with mental retardation using the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. We compared the motor skills of 24 mentally retarded children, 12 with Down syndrome and 12 without Down syndrome. The children ranged in chronological age from 7.6 years to 11 years and were of comparable mental age. Within each group, there were no significant sex differences nor were there differences between the two groups in motor performance for the male subjects. The female subjects with Down syndrome, however, scored significantly lower than female subjects without Down syndrome on running speed, strength, visual motor ability, speed, and dexterity and fine motor composite scores. As a group, the children with Down syndrome scored significantly lower than the children without Down syndrome in the areas of running speed, balance, strength, and visual motor control. The gross motor and fine motor skill composite scores were also significantly lower for the children with Down syndrome than for the children without Down syndrome.

Because of the design limitations, the differences between the groups should be interpreted with caution.

The number of people over the age of 60 years with lifelong developmental delays is predicted to double by 2030. Down syndrome (DS) is the most frequent chromosomal cause of developmental delays. As the life expectancy of people with DS increases, changes in body function and structure secondary to aging have the potential to lead to activity limitations and participation restrictions for this population. The purpose of this update is to: (1) provide an overview of the common body function and structure changes that occur in adults with DS as they age (thyroid dysfunction, cardiovascular disorders, obesity, musculoskeletal disorders, Alzheimer disease, depression) and (2) apply current research on exercise to the prevention of activity limitations and participation restrictions. As individuals with DS age, a shift in emphasis from disability prevention to the prevention of conditions that lead to activity and participation limitations must occur. Exercise programs appear to have potential to positively affect the overall health of adults with DS, thereby increasing the quality of life and years of healthy life for these individuals.

There is a lack of concurrent validity between the PDMS-2 standard scores and standard scores of the BSID-II Motor Scale and a lack of agreement between age equivalent scores of the BSID-II Motor Scale and the PDMS-2 subtests except for Locomotion. The investigators caution about using only one standard score or age equivalent score for decisions about the need for early intervention for children at 12 months of age when using the BSID-II or the PDMS-2.

The study supports the substitution of the Bayley-III for the PDMS-2 for standard scores or AE scores for children aged 19 to 26 months and for standard scores for children birth to 18 months.