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Effect of Aerobic Training on Sleep Problems and Pulmonary Functions in Children With Down Syndrome

Effect of Aerobic Training on Sleep Problems and Pulmonary Functions in Children With Down Syndrome

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05861141
Enrollment
30
Registered
2023-05-16
Start date
2023-08-01
Completion date
2024-05-31
Last updated
2025-06-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Down Syndrome

Keywords

Aerobic Training, Treadmill Training, Sleep, Sleep Problems, Sleep Disturbances, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Pulmonary Functions, Down Syndrome, Trisomy 21, Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), Handheld Spirometer

Brief summary

The study will be conducted to determine the effect of aerobic training on sleep problems and pulmonary functions in children with Down syndrome.

Detailed description

The study will be carried out on 30 children with Down syndrome (trisomy 21) of both sexes, with ages ranging from 7 to 12 years old. Children will be recruited from schools for children with special needs. Children will be randomly assigned into two equal groups (control and study groups), 15 for each group. The control group will receive a selected physical therapy program only, while the study group will receive the same selected physical therapy program as the control group in addition to aerobic exercise in the form of treadmill training. The Arabic version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) will be used to assess sleep problems, while a handheld spirometer will be used to assess pulmonary functions (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR)) pre- and post-intervention.

Interventions

OTHERSelected physical therapy program

Patients will receive a selected physical therapy program for 1 hr, 3 times per week, for 3 successive months in the form of: * Balance and postural control exercises for 15 minutes, including the following: * Standing on balance board. * Stoop and recovery. * Gait training for 45 minutes, including the following: * Forward, backward, and sideways walking. * Walking with obstacles using wedges and rolls with different diameters and heights.

DEVICEAerobic training

Patients will receive the same selected physical therapy program as the control group for 15 minutes in addition to treadmill training for 45 minutes, 3 times per week, for 3 successive months. Treadmill training: Will be practiced according to the following stages: A- Warm up: 5 minutes. B- The exercise phase: 35 minutes (three-minute stages), the speed will be increased gradually every 3 minutes intervals until the child no longer be able to walk at the current stage. C- Cool down: 5 minutes.

Sponsors

Cairo University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
7 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Children with Down syndrome (trisomy 21). * Their ages range from 7 to 12 years old. * Both sexes will be included. * Children should be able to understand and follow simple verbal commands or instructions (intelligence quotient (IQ) range: 50-70). * Children should be able to walk independently. * Their total scores on the Arabic version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) equal 41 or higher.

Exclusion criteria

Children will be excluded from the study if they: * Have visual or hearing defects. * Have spinal abnormality such as kyphosis and scoliosis. * Have history of pulmonary infection and surgery of thoracic and abdominal region within the past 6 months. * Play any specific sport or exercises. * Have physical activity restrictions. * Have musculoskeletal disorder. * Take medications known to affect sleep.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Sleep Problems:6 monthsWill be measured by the Arabic version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ): A 33-item retrospective parent-report questionnaire was created as a screening tool for sleep issues over a typical recent week. Each item is scored 1-3 (1 = Rarely, 0-1x/week; 2 = Sometimes, 2-4x/week; 3 = Usually, 5-7x/week). There are 6 questions with reverse scoring in order to consistently make a higher score indicative of more disrupted sleep. This will yield a total score between 33 and 99. A total score of 41 or higher suggests the presence of a sleep disturbance.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1):6 monthsPulmonary Functions: FEV1 will be measured by a handheld spirometer.
FEV1/FVC ratio:6 monthsPulmonary Functions: FEV1/FVC ratio will be measured by a handheld spirometer.
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC):6 monthsPulmonary Functions: FVC will be measured by a handheld spirometer.
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR):6 monthsPulmonary Functions: PEFR will be measured by a handheld spirometer.

Countries

Egypt

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026