Abstract

RUSSELL, Dorothy Charmaine et al. The impact of the "Developmental Resource Stimulation Programme" (DRSP) on children with Down syndrome. S. Afr. j. occup. ther. [online]. 2016, vol.46, n.1, pp.33-40. ISSN 2310-3833.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2310-3833/2016/v46n1a8.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the impact of an intensive early-intervention programme, the Developmental Resource Stimulation Programme (DRSP), on Down syndrome (DS) children younger than 42 months in the South African context. The DRSP is a unique, child-parent specific, one-on-one, integrated developmental programme for children with Down syndrome from birth to 42 months. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the DRSP on Down syndrome children younger than 42 months in the South African context. METHODOLOGY: A non-randomised control group pre-test-post-test design was followed. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3^rd edition was used. Thirty children with the general characteristics of DS, specifically Trisomy 21, were included in the study. There were two groups, namely the intervention group (n = 16) and the control group (n = 14) which were studied over a period of six months. RESULTS: This study showed that a specifically designed programme, with participation of a parent, has a positive impact on the development of the child with Down syndrome. CONCLUSION: Contrary to the existing literature, there were positive changes in the fine-motor development and language of the intervention group overall and in the gross-motor development of children older than 9-months with Down syndrome.

Keywords : early intervention programme; Down syndrome; younger than three years; developmental domains; occupational therapy.

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