A feasibility study demonstrating that independence, quality of life, and adaptive behavioral skills can improve in children with Down syndrome after using assistive technology

Enhancing independence and quality of life are key modifiable outcomes that are short- and long-term goals for children with Down syndrome and for their parents. Here we report the outcome of a 4-week feasibility study in a cohort of 26 children with Down Syndrome, 7–17 years old, who used an assistive technology approach that incorporated smart device software and step-by-step pictures (the MapHabit System). Parents reported improvements in children’s activities of daily living, quality of life, and independence. They recommended this technology to other families. This report and its findings underscore the feasibility of using assistive technology in children with Down syndrome within home and family settings. A limiting factor is whether participants who did not complete the study, and thus were not included in analyses, might have impacted the study outcomes. The current findings that assistive technology can be used successfully and effectively in family and home settings set the stage for more informative systematic studies using assistive technology for this population.