Spending a few minutes of treadmill training can help Down syndrome infants walk up to four or five months earlier than with only traditional physical therapy, a new study from the University of Michigan says.

The study, available online in advance of publication in Physical Therapy, suggests high intensity training may help Down syndrome infants begin walking five months sooner than they typically do. High intensity training includes increasing the treadmill belt speed, using longer durations, and adding light weights to the ankles, with intensity tailored to each child

Starting Down Syndrome infants walking on a treadmill just few minutes a day can help them walk four to five months earlier than traditional therapies, according to a new study.

Researchers at University of Michigan's Division of Kinesiology asked parents of 30 Down syndrome babies to help them walk on a treadmill for eight minutes a day, five days a week

Scientists have developed a new blood test for the detection of Down's syndrome in pregnant women that can help detect the chromosomal abnormality without the risk of miscarriage. Earlier, the woman's amniotic sac was involved in the test for examining fetal DNA and there was a risk of miscarriage.

The new diagnostic tool developed by the U.S. company Ravgen is very safe than the earlier tests and poses no threat to the mother or fetus. The test uses fetal DNA extracted from mother's blood samples to screen for chromosomal abnormalities

Age is no longer a factor in Down Syndrome testing for pregnant women. As technologies improve, doctors recommend that every pregnant woman gets tested.

Women ages 35 or older who become pregnant are more likely to have a baby with Down Syndrome than women who became pregnant younger. Because the original test was very invasive, only those women 35 or older were recommended for testing

A leading medical association is urging pregnant women to get tested for Down syndrome no matter their age.

Previously, Down Syndrome testing had only been recommended for pregnant women 35 or older, who are slightly more susceptible to having babies with the defect