Developing a Home Exercise Program for Children with Down Syndrome

Background and Aim: Children with Down Syndrome are a group that needs special care and support. By gaining a deeper understanding of their characteristics and needs, we can create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for them. Therefore, this research aims to develop a home exercise program for children with Down Syndrome. Home exercise programs can promote the parent-child relationship of children with Down Syndrome by improving physical fitness, promoting intellectual development, enhancing social skills, enhancing self-confidence, and providing opportunities for children with Down Syndrome to interact with other families to help them better integrate into the family environment. Materials and Methods: The research participation was divided into four groups as follows: (1) five experts were invited to evaluate the expert interview form and Delphi questionnaires using the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC); (2) nine experts were invited to participate in expert’s interview; (3) 19 experts were invited to participate in Delphi consensus to develop a home exercise program for children with Down Syndrome; (4) 7 experts were invited to participate in connoisseurship discussion, to confirm the developed home exercise program. This consensus data was evaluated through the median and interquartile range. The criteria for consensus required a median of ≥ 3.50 and an interquartile range of ≤ 1.50. Results: Home exercise program for children with Down Syndrome includes three aspects: 1. warm-up, including 3 first-level indicators as follows: (1) aerobic fitness; (2) dynamic stretching; (3) core activation, and 24 second-level indicators. 2. Physical exercise, including 5 first-level indicators as follows: (1) improves strength and functional structure; (2) sports interests; (3) psychological needs; (4) excitation and inhibition balance; (5) self-control, and 17 second-level indicators and 146 third-level indicators. 3. relaxation extension including 3 first-level indicators as follows: (1) static diagram; (2) dynamic plotting; (3) mental and breathing relaxation, and 21 second-level indicators. Conclusion: The home exercise program developed in this research offers a comprehensive solution that meets the diverse needs of children with Down Syndrome, contributing positively to their physical, emotional, and social development.