Effects of Drumming Lessons on Brain and Behavior in Children With Down Syndrome
Vanderbilt University
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if drumming lessons can increase self-control in children with Down syndrome. The main question it aims to answer is whether 2 months of drumming lessons can improve the behavioral control and timing skills in children with Down syndrome. Participants are between 7 and 15 years of age and receive two months of drumming lessons given by a professional drummer with extensive experience working with children with Down syndrome. Children in the experimental group visit our lab once before lessons start and once after lessons are completed. Children in the control group visit our lab twice before they start their lessons. Lab visits include brain recordings taken using a net-style cap, computer tasks, and drumming to music.
Description
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal cause of cognitive disability, and it affects approximately 1 in 700 live births. Although the genetic etiology of DS (a complete or partial third 21st chromosome) has been known for over 50 years, many fundamental questions about how to support high quality of life for individuals with DS remain unanswered. One area of relative weakness in DS is Inhibitory Control (IC). This skill is important for daily tasks such as following directions, making decisions, and managing money among other tasks. Existing research demonstrates a clear link betwee…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 7–15 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Down syndrome Exclusion Criteria: * Already taken drumming lessons * Uncorrected hearing loss * Uncorrected vision loss
Interventions
- Behavioral2 months of drumming lessons given by a professional drummer with extensive experience working with children with Down syndrome
Drumming lessons consisting of how to use hands to drum on djembe drum, using alternating hands to drum, drumming to a metronome and to music.
- BehavioralLessons after measurement
Receiving lessons after the two lab visits should still offer any possible positive effects to participants while still allowing us to compare the Control group children's behaviors to those of the Experimental group.
Location
- Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee