[Exercised-induced asthma in soccer players ages from 8 to 13 years]. / Anstrengungsinduziertes Asthma bei Fussballspielern im Alter von 8 bis 13 Jahren.

The purpose of this study was the detection of exercise induced asthma in soccer players aged 8-13 years. Thirty boys, 8-13 years old participated in the study. They were coming from an athletic team of north of Thessaloniki. The study included clinical examination, administration of a respiratory health questionnaire and the exercise -- free running -- test with spirometric measurements. Spirometric measurements were performed by using a microspirometer, before exercise and 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30 min after a 6 min free running exercise (80 - 90 % max heart rate). The highest forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV (1)) value before exercise was compared with the lowest of post exercise values. The results showed a decline in FEV (1) > 15 % in 12 out of 30 children. Particularly, decline in FEV (1) was present in 1 (11 %) out of 9 children with free personal medical history but positive family history for asthma, in 3 (25 %) out of 12 children with allergies, and in 8 (89 %) out of 9 children with asthma. Symptoms were reported by 9 of 12 children with fall in FEV (1) > 15 %, during the 6 min exercise test, who had no symptoms during the soccer games. Identification of EIA by exercise challenge test in young athletes is a useful component for the diagnosis of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Similar studies should be performed on older and younger athletes who participate in different sports and games.

Standardization of the motor scales of the Griffiths Test II on children aged 3 to 6 years in Greece.

AIMS: The present study aimed at the standardization of the motor scales (A-locomotor and D-eye-hand co-ordination) of the Griffiths Test II on Greek preschool-aged children. PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred and thirty children living in Northern Greece were assessed (455 boys and 475 girls), aged from 37 to 72 months (3-6 years old). RESULTS: Percentile ranks were determined depending on the developmental quotient and the chronological age of the child. Through the present application of the Griffiths Test to the children in our country, we showed that the average developmental quotients of the two scales were higher than the relevant published quotients of the Griffiths Test II. DISCUSSION: Some of the factors that may have contributed to faster motor development are passage of time and the environmental and cultural differences between countries. The findings reinforce the need for standardization of a test before it is applied to the population of a country, and its re-standardization on the population of the country where it was first applied.

Gross and fine motor skills of left-handed preschool children.

From a population of 765 preschool children 4-6 years old, 31 children (4.1%) were identified as left-handers. Using the two motor subscales A (gross motor) and D (fine motor) of the Griffiths Test No. II, these children were compared with 31 right-handers, matched for age, sex, and preschool attended. Right-handed children received higher quotients than left-handed on both Griffiths' subscales, with a significant difference only on Scale D. However, the differences between right- and left-handed children arose from the poorer performance of left-handed boys on fine motor tasks (Scale D). These differences could be responsible for learning difficulties that left-handed children face later at school. Such difficulties should be identified as early as possible to facilitate psychoeducational intervention in preschool programs.

Bone mineral density and muscle strength in young men with mental retardation (with and without Down syndrome).

The objective of this study was to compare the bone mineral density (BMD) of men with Down syndrome (DS) to otherwise mentally retarded (MR) men and to investigate whether leg muscle strength of these patients is related to BMD. Two groups with MR (with and without DS) participated in the study, having met the following criteria: similar age, moderate to mild mental retardation, Tanner stage V of sexual development, similar age of beginning to walk, and equal motor activities. The DS group consisted of 8 men 23.9 +/- 4.2 years, and the MR group without DS consisted of 8 men 23.5 +/- 3.6 years. The two groups were compared with 10 sedentary students of the same age range (25.9 +/- 2.9 years) attending our University. The BMD of the 2(nd) to 4(th) lumbar vertebrae was measured in the PA projection and the mean density was expressed as g/cm(2). The isokinetic muscle strength of the right quadriceps femoris and hamstrings muscles was measured on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. The value measured was peak torque at angular velocities at 60, 120, and 300 degrees.sec(-1). The results showed that BMD in DS individuals versus young adults (reference group of the scanner) was lower at the 26% level (T-score - 2.66 +/- 0.29) and significantly lower (P = 0.002) than that of the MR group. Significantly different muscle strength was observed between the DS and non-DS MR group (in quadriceps at 300 degrees.s(-1): P < 0.01, at 120 and 60 degrees. s(-1): P < 0.05; in hamstrings at 300 degrees.s(-1): P < 0.05). Higher differences in muscle strength were found between MR and control men, but no significant difference existed in BMD between them. Bivariate correlation showed that quadriceps strength significantly predicted the BMD in the DS patients. Active lifestyle and increased physical exercise to improve muscular strength should be instituted to avoid the development of osteoporosis in DS patients.

Measurement of range of motion in individuals with mental retardation and with or without Down syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to assess differences in variability of three joints' range of motion in the lower extremity among individuals with Down syndrome, mentally retarded individuals without Down syndrome, and sedentary subjects without mental retardation (ns = 13, 25, and 30, respectively). Range of motion for hip and knee flexion was obtained using a Myrin goniometer. For hip abduction the range of motion was obtained using a double protractor goniometer (Brodin type). Three test repetitions were carried out, and the greatest value was recorded. As no significant differences were found between left and right sides for each motion, the average was used to represent the range of motion. The Down syndrome group had significantly higher mean range of motion in hip flexion than the mentally retarded group. No significant differences in mean range of motion were found between Down syndrome and sedentary groups, but a significant difference was observed between the control and mentally retarded groups. In hip abduction, the Down syndrome group showed significantly higher mean range of motion than the control and mentally retarded groups. The control group had significantly a higher mean range of motion than the mentally retarded group. No significant differences were found in knee flexion between the two mentally disabled groups, but significant differences in mean range of motion were found between each of the two groups of mentally retarded individuals and the control group. Because differences exist in mean range of motion between the two mentally disabled groups, individualized and differentiated training programs to improve flexibility must be designed based on the type of handicap.

Isokinetic knee muscle strength of individuals with mental retardation, a comparative study.

The purpose of this study was to assess differences in isokinetic muscle torque in the knee among mentally retarded individuals with Down syndrome, mentally retarded individuals without Down syndrome, and sedentary subjects without mental retardation (ns of 7, 8, and 12, respectively). Subjects performed strength tests to knee extension and flexion on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. The measure was peak torque at angular velocities of 60, 120, and 300 degrees/sec. For the Mentally Retarded subjects with and without Down syndrome, the test was performed on two separate days 24 hr. apart. For Sedentary subjects, testing was performed on one day. Their scores indicated significantly higher values of torque than the two other groups. Also, subjects with Down syndrome had inferior muscle torque of lower extremities than peers in the Mentally Retarded Group.