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NCT Number: NCT07579559

Animal Fun Program and Kinesthetic Development in Down Syndrome

The purpose of the study is that Animal-fun activities capture children's attention, making them a powerful tool for enhancing kinesthetic awareness and gross motor skills. Although play-based programs like Animal Fun boost motor development, no research has yet examined if adding animal interaction can specifically improve proprioception in children with Down syndrome. There is no difference in the effects of animal fun program on kinesthesia in children with Down syndrome.There is a difference in the effects of animal fun program on kinesthesia in Children with Down syndrome.

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Key information

Conditions

Kinesthetic Illusion Abnormalities, Multiple Chromosome Disorders Congenital Abnormalities Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Down Syndrome Genetic Diseases, Inborn Illusions Intellectual Disability Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Perceptual Disorders Signs and Symptoms

Age range

6 year–9 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

Down syndrome (DS), resulting from a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21 in approximately 1 in 650-1,000 live births, represents the most frequent genetic origin of intellectual disability and is often accompanied by delayed attainment of motor developmental milestones. Insufficient motor coordination and proprioceptive awareness can significantly limit participation in physical activities. Proprioceptive input mediated by muscle spindles, joint and skin receptors, and Golgi tendon organs underlies kinesthesia, our sensory perception of movement and spatial orientation. The Animal Fun program, a structured, inclusive early intervention originally designed for typically developing children, has demonstrated effectiveness in improving gross and fine motor skills, balance, manual dexterity, and socio-emotional development.The study design will be Quasi Experimental Study. This study will recruit 26 children of Down Syndrome to evaluate a modified Animal Fun program on Kinesthesia in children with down syndrome. Animal fun program will be provided for 8 weeks and in one week four sessions will be conducted. The study will be completed in 10 months after the approval of synopsis. Data will be collected from step up rehabilitation center Lahore. Participants fulfilling the eligibility criteria will be asked to assign the consent form before entering into study. Kinesthesia effect will be assessed by joint position sense test. A goniometer measures joint angles and accuracy is calculated by comparing target and reproduced angles. The synopsis will presented to the Research Ethical Committee of Riphah International University, Lahore for ethical approval to conduct this study. Data will be analyzed through SPSS version 26.0.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Children aged 6 to 9 years
  • Diagnosed with Down's Syndrome
  • Both male and female will be included
  • Parental/Guardian Consent or Written informed consent must be obtained from parents or legal guardians.
  • Regular Attendance or Availability and willingness to participate in all scheduled sessions of the Animal Fun Program.

Exclusion criteria

  • Presence of Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Visual or Hearing Impairments
  • Behavioral or Psychiatric Conditions
  • Recent Orthopedic or Neurosurgical Interventions
  • Irregular Attendance Risk

Treatment and study plan

animal fun program

Other

The Animal Fun program, consists of the following modules:

Module 1: Body Management (Static balance, Dynamic balance, climbing) Module 2: Locomotion (Walking, Jumping, Hopping, Skipping) Module 3: Object Control (Throwing, Catching, Kicking) Module 4: Body Sequencing (Trunk, Limbs) Module 5: Body and Kinesthetic Management: Trunk and Upper Limb (Eye hand coordination, Visual kinesthetic) Module 6: Fine Motor Planning Module 7: Tool Control (Pre-scissor/scissor skills, Paint brush use, Drawing/pre-writing skills).

Module 8: Hand Skills (Individual finger strength, Grip strength, Pincer grip) Module 9: Social/Emotional Development (Laughter, Identifying and labelling feelings, Breathing, Relaxation).

Primary outcomes

  1. Joint position sense test

    Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks

    Joint Position Sense (JPS) testing was conducted using a standardized protocol and a consistent measurement tool, specifically a goniometer, to assess the accuracy of joint angle reproduction. The difference between the reference angle and the reproduced angle was calculated to determine the Joint position sense test (JPS) error, with greater differences indicating larger deficits. A score of zero was assigned if the participant exactly reproduced the reference angle. Although directionality (over- or underestimation) was noted, only the absolute values of angle differences were used for final analysis.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

IMRAN AMJAD, PHD

CONTACT

[email protected]

92332243390125

Muhammad Asif Javed, MS-PT

CONTACT

[email protected]

923224209422

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of Animal Fun Program on Kinesthesia in Children With Down Syndrome

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
May 12, 2026
Registry last updated
May 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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