Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) is a congenital condition where there’s an extra chromosome in a child’s DNA. This causes the child to have cognitive and physical challenges as they grow up. Children who are diagnosed with Down Syndrome typically have low muscle tone and laxity in their joints, which affects how and when they achieve certain developmental milestones. Gross motor skills encompass the larger muscular movements the baby/infant make, such as sitting, crawling and walking. Fine motor skills are the smaller more intricate movements that come from the smaller muscles that are in the hands. Below is a chart of the average age range on when a child can develop gross and fine motor skills.
Gross Motor Skills
| Activity | Child with Down Syndrome Average Age Range | Typical Child Average Age Range |
| Head Control in Sitting | 3-5 months | 1-4 months |
| Rolling Over | 4-12 months | 2-10 months |
| Sitting Alone | 6-16 months | 5-9 months |
| Crawling | 8-22 months | 6-12 months |
| Standing Alone | 12-38 months | 9-16 months |
| Walking Alone | 13-48 months | 9-17 months |
Fine Motor Skills
| Activity | Child with Down Syndrome Average Age Range | Typical Child Average Age Range |
| Reaching Out for Objects | 4-11 months | 2-6 months |
| Passing Objects from Hand to Hand | 6-12 months | 4-8 months |
| Raking Grasp | 9-12 months | 5-7 months |
| Uses Spoon | 13-39 months | 12-20 months |
| Pincer Grasp | 22-66 months | 10-12 months |
| Intentional Drop/Release | 22-36 months | 13-15 months |
If you feel that you have any concerns about your child’s developmental milestones and would like to speak to someone, here at Anderson Therapy Services our Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy teams are well equipped and knowledgeable to help. We will work with you and your child to develop a treatment plan which optimizes you child’s growth and functional skills for everyday life.
