Musculoskeletal anomalies in a national cohort of children and adolescents with trisomy 21

Results 198 children and adolescents were examined, (56% male, 44% female). Median age was 7.2 years (0.6-18.6 years); 26% were adolescents (i.e. age ≥ 12 years). The average Beighton score for adolescents was 2 (0-6), which was significantly lower than that recorded for children, 4 (0-9) (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in the number of orthopedic conditions observed in children (10%) and adolescents (16%). They included scoliosis, patella instability, hip dislocation and C-spine anomalies. Pes planus was seen in 67% of children and 80% of adolescents with Down syndrome. However, only 42% of these children and 51% of the adolescents wore orthotics. The median age our cohort walked was 28 months (12-84 months). This is comparable to the literature that reports children with Down syndrome walk at 23 months (range 13-48), compared with 12 months (range 9-17) for the general paediatric population.