Wearable-Sensor-Based Physical Activity and Sleep in Children with Down Syndrome Aged 0-5 Years: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Objective measurement of physical activity (PA) and sleep is crucial for child development.
• Previous studies on PA and sleep in children with Down syndrome (DS) lack systematic review.
• Wearable sensor technology offers objective data collection for these parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and describe PA and sleep patterns in children with DS.
• To compare PA and sleep metrics between children with DS and non-DS peers.
• To evaluate sensor data collection methodologies used in existing studies.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, SPORTDiscus).
• Included studies were assessed for risk of bias using Joanna Briggs Institute tools.
• Data from 9 original studies involving 8-66 participants (1-67 months) were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Children with DS demonstrated lower time spent on high-intensity PA and reduced segment-specific movement counts compared to non-DS controls.
• Children with DS exhibited poorer sleep quality, sleeping approximately one hour less than controls and significantly below global recommendations.
• Observed movement patterns in DS included greater upper-limb than lower-limb activity and minimal changes in movement rates over time.

Conclusions:

• Children with DS present with distinct patterns of reduced physical activity and impaired sleep quality.
• Significant variations in sensor data collection protocols (epoch length, attachment site, device model) hinder direct comparisons.
• Standardized sensor-based research is essential to accurately ascertain PA levels and sleep quality in the pediatric DS population.