Ballet Helps A 3 Year Old Boy With Down’s Syndrome Leap Ahead

Coming along in leaps and bounds: Three-year-old Archie struggled even to walk because of Down’s Syndrome but is now jumping and dancing thanks to BALLET

Archie Aspin, 3, joined ‘baby ballet’ which has helped his development, Children with Down’s Syndrome often struggle with motor skills, Archie has improved his physical skills as well as social and speech
By Laura Cox ,4 May 2015 – to read the full article go to The Daily Mail

Born with Down’s Syndrome, Archie Aspin was told he would never manage to keep up with his peers. But at the age of just three, he is already progressing in leaps and bounds.His mother Amanda has credited ‘baby ballet’ classes with sending her little boy’s confidence soaring, and says Archie now walks, jumps and hops – skills once thought too challenging for him.

Yesterday Mrs Aspin revealed she ensures Archie now spends 45 minutes a week taking a class at a dance studio near their home in Halifax in order to continue making good progress.

She said: ‘Since starting baby ballet his confidence has grown so much, which is fantastic. His physical skills are much more advanced than I thought they would be – he can jump, he tries to hop, he’s a good walker. He can be unsteady at times but he really tries hard.’It is a far cry from where doctors thought he would be at this stage in his life.

Children diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome often struggle with motor skills, their confidence levels and interacting socially. Speech and language development can also be delayed. But Mrs Aspin, 39, who runs a children’s day nursery and whose daughters Emily, eight, and Tillie, five also go to babyballet classes, said:

‘His attention skills are much better, his listening skills, and he just really enjoys it.

The healthcare professionals always said it would take him a lot longer to walk, join in, his attention and things like that.

Like a dancer: Archie spends 45 minutes a week at a ‘baby ballet’ class at a dance studio in Halifax
Archie’s mother Amanda, 39, who runs a children’s day nursery, has credited ‘baby ballet’ classes with sending her little boy’s confidence soaring and developing, thanks to his ballet classes, Archie has improved his physical skills as well as social and attention skills
As a result of the weekly dance sessions, Archie now walks, jumps and hops – skills once thought too challenging for him

Helping children: Baby ballet lessons include standing and floor-based exercises and learning routines with props such as teddy bears