Effects of Down Dog Yoga on Pre-writing Skills in Children With Down Syndrome

NCT06977672 | Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: REC/RCR & AHS/24/0734
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 34
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by an extra chromosome 21, affecting physical and cognitive development. This study will evaluate the effects of down dog yoga on prewriting skills in children with Down syndrome aged 4-8 years. A randomized controlled trial with 32 participants will be conducted at Bahawal Victoria Hospital over 10 months. Assessments will include JTHFT, BBT, and the Prewriting Skills Scale.

Conditions

Down Syndrome

Keywords

Down Dog yoga; JTHFT; BBT; pre-writing skills

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Jebsen-Taylor hand function test:

  The Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT) is a standardized assessment used to evaluate hand function through tasks that simulate everyday activities such as writing, feeding, and object manipulation. Commonly used in rehabilitation for individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions like stroke, spinal cord injury, or hand trauma, the test consists of timed subtests that measure the speed and efficiency of hand use. It provides objective data to monitor functional ability, compare hand performance, and track rehabilitation progress.

  preliminary assessment 1 week, intervention 8 week, final assessment 1 week

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Box and block test

  preliminary assessment 1 week, intervention 8 week, final assessment 1 week

Other Outcomes (1)

• Pre writing skills

  preliminary assessment 1 week, intervention 8 week, final assessment 1 week

Study Arms (2)

Yoga exercise group

EXPERIMENTAL

This 10-week study includes assessments before and after an 8-week dog down yoga intervention. Sessions occur 3-4 times weekly, with expert-led (40-45 min) and parent-led (20-25 min) formats.

Other: Down Dog Yoga

routine therapy group

OTHER

Children attended 20-minute group sessions four days a week for 10 weeks. Writing assessment comprised across four stages: pre-phonemic, semi-phonemic, phonemic, and conventional.

Other: Traditional

Interventions

Down Dog Yoga OTHER

In this study, a period of 10 weeks, commencing with a preliminary assessment during the first week, followed by an 8-week intervention phase, and concluding with a final assessment in the last week of the study period. The frequency-intensity-time-type principle will be implemented as follows: sessions will occur 4 times per week, consisting of 2 sessions led by experts and 2 sessions involving parents. The intensity will be 40 to 45 minutes for expert-led sessions and 20 to 25 minutes for parent-led sessions. These sessions will take place 3 or 4 times per week over an 8-week period, focusing on a type of intervention known as dog down yoga

Yoga exercise group

Traditional OTHER

The children took part in group sessions four days a week over a span of 10 weeks, totaling 40 sessions. Each session, lasting around 20 minutes, involved small groups of four to seven children. The aim will be to evaluate the children's writing across four stages of development: pre-phonemic, semi-phonemic, phonemic, and conventional

routine therapy group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 8 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Children with age group 4-8years
• Both Genders (male female)
• Children who can do Independent standing and walking

You may not qualify if:

• Any deformity
• Pain and/or symptomatic neurologic/orthopedic dysfunction of upper or lower extremities
• Cervical injury and chest wall disorders
• Injury
• Fractures
• History of previous surgery
• Children with impaired Fun

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Riphah International University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Rising Sun Institute

Lahore, Punjab Province, 54900, Pakistan

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

• Shields N. Physiotherapy management of Down syndrome. J Physiother. 2021 Oct;67(4):243-251. doi: 10.1016/j.jphys.2021.08.016. Epub 2021 Sep 10. No abstract available.

  PMID: 34511385 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Down Syndrome

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Intellectual Disability; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Abnormalities, Multiple; Congenital Abnormalities; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities; Chromosome Disorders; Genetic Diseases, Inborn

Study Officials

• Yusra Uzlifat, MS-PPT

  Riphah International University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

IMRAN AMJAD, PhD

CONTACT

9233224390125; imran.amjad@riphah.edu.pk

Asif Javed, MS-PT

CONTACT

923224209422; a.javed@riphah.edu.pk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants will get separate treatment protocols and possible efforts will be put to mask the both group about the treatment
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: This study involves two groups of children: an experimental group (Group A) and a control group (Group B), to compare the effects of a yoga-based intervention with standard educational activities. Group A will follow a 10-week program, including an initial and final assessment, with an 8-week intervention in between. They will participate in down dog yoga sessions four times a week-two expert-led (40-45 minutes) and two parent-led (20-25 minutes). Group B will attend regular writing sessions, four times a week for 20 minutes, in small groups. Their writing will be assessed across four developmental stages: pre-phonemic, semi-phonemic, phonemic, and conventional. The study aims to evaluate developmental differences between the two approaches.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 17, 2025
• First Posted: May 18, 2025
• Study Start: April 15, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 15, 2025
• Study Completion: June 30, 2025
• Last Updated: May 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)