Factors affecting the level of independence of activity daily living in children with down syndrome

Abstract

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder that decrease child's growth, development, learning, memory, and level of independence.

Objective: This study aimed to further review what factors affect the level of independence in children with DS in daily activities.

Methods: The research used a literature review design using secondary data of published research articles about the factors that influenced the daily activities independence among children with DS. The study used Google Scholar and PubMed databases to search the articles. he inclusion criteria for the journals used were journals published in English or Indonesian, with a publication time range of 2014-2024. Non-peer-reviewed articles such as editorials, opinions, case reports, theses, or dissertations that were not officially published were not included in this review. Based on the inclusion criteria set, five journals were obtained that were relevant to the discussion in the literature review.

Results: We found 5 articles that correlated with the topic of factors that influenced the daily activities independence among children with DS. An optimal sensory development can have a positive effect on the motor development and daily living independence of DS children. The assistance from the parents, therapist, and assistive tools may improve the level of daily activities independence in children with DS.

Conclusion: This study concluded that several factors influence the independence of children with Down syndrome. These factors can be grouped into internal influences, such as sensory and motor abilities, and external influences, including parental assistance, therapist support, and technology.