Deciduous teeth eruption, gross motor skills, and feeding in children with down syndrome: A cross-sectional study

Introduction

Down syndrome (DS) is often associated with delayed teeth eruption, gross motor skill acquisition, and feeding difficulties. In typically developing (TD) children, changes in weaning food texture with deciduous teeth eruption and motor skill acquisition, which improves feeding skills. However, in DS, these processes are delayed, and age alone is not a reliable predictor for such changes. Therefore, we investigated the association between these parameters in children with DS.

Methods

We administered questionnaires to parents of 56 children with DS aged 0–3 years. The survey items included timing of deciduous tooth eruption, physical development, acquired gross motor skills, and texture of weaning foods being consumed. The included children were allocated to two groups according to the confirmed eruption of mandibular deciduous central incisor by or after 12 months.

Results

The groups significantly differed in height, Kaup index, and acquisition age of pulling to stand, as determined by Mann–Whitney U test. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis revealed a significant association between the age of mandibular central incisor eruption and height along with that of acquisition age of pulling to stand. However, no significant difference was observed in the texture of weaning foods.

Conclusion

The observed associations between the eruption of mandibular central incisor, height, and acquisition age of pulling to stand suggest an association between teeth eruption, physical development, and motor development. Despite no differences in weaning food texture, most patients developed dysphagia habilitation, indicating the need to adjust food texture based on delays in physical and motor development.