This study hopes to understand the relationships between abilities in balance and movement skills, and physical activity levels in elementary-school children, both with and without disabilities. Knowledge gained from the study will help us to create interventions to promote motor development in children.
The study will include a gymnasium visit (~1 hour) at Iowa State University and measurements done at home (7 days). The children will participate in a series of active play activities (balance on one foot, run, jump, skip, throw, catch, and kick) and then wear a small monitor to measure how much they move.
Children between the ages of 5 and 10 years with a diagnosis of Down syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder OR with typical development without a disability. Exclusion criteria include children with a physical disability or behavioral challenges that will limit safe participation in active play.
