Vestibular function in children underperforming at school

SummaryLearning is a complex, dynamic process, structured from motor and perception skills which, when cortically processed, give birth to cognition. Balance is a fundamental neurological function that helps us maintain proper postures, an essential factor in learning and a sign or neurologic maturity. Aim: this paper aims to study vestibular function in children underperforming at school. Study design: this is a cross-sectional study. Materials and method: eighty-eight children with ages ranging between 7 and 12 years attending the public schools of Piracicaba from 2004 to 2006 were enrolled. All children were interviewed, submitted to ENT examination, hearing tests, and vestibular examination. Results: fifty-one percent of the participants had no reported difficulties at school, whereas 49.0% were underperforming at school. Under vestibular examination, 73.3% of the children performing well at school had normal findings, whereas 32.6% of the underperforming children had normal test results. Unilateral and bilateral irritative peripheral vestibular alterations were found in 67.4% of the underperformers and in 26.7% of the children not experiencing difficulties at school. Conclusion: all vestibular alterations found had an irritative peripheral origin. There was a statistically significant association between vestibular alteration and poor performance at school

Otoneurologic evaluation in children with school difficulties complaints : a vestibular function study

Orientador: Ivone PanhocaTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias MedicasResumo: As alterações no processo de aprendizagem e/ou atraso na aquisição da linguagem constituem parte das queixas relatadas na clínica pediátrica, neurológica, neuropsicológica e fonoaudiológica infantil. Além disso, altas taxas de reprovações em escolares que ingressam no primeiro ciclo têm despertado a atenção dos especialistas que atendem crianças em idade escolar. Dentre os fatores básicos para a aprendizagem encontram-se a postura, o equilíbrio e a coordenação motora. Em conjunto com o sistema nervoso central, a função do sistema vestibular é controlar a posição do corpo, os movimentos dos olhos e a percepção espacial, e assim, ele é tido hoje como um dos responsáveis pelo desenvolvimento infantil. Esta pesquisa buscou avaliar a função vestibular em crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares bem como suas queixas vestibulares. Foi realizada em duas importantes etapas, sendo que inicialmente foram estudadas 50 crianças e posteriormente 88 crianças, todas entre 7 e 12 anos, que freqüentavam escolas públicas da cidade de Piracicaba durante os anos de 2004 a 2006. Os procedimentos utilizados foram: a anamnese; exame otorrinolaringológico; exame audiológico e avaliação vestibular. Nos resultados iniciais notamos que 38,0% das crianças referiram ter dificuldades escolares. Quando aumentamos a amostra observamos que 49,0% das crianças referiram essas dificuldades. No questionamento das queixas referidas mais comuns, pudemos observar que a queixa referida de ¿atordoação¿ apresentou uma relação estatisticamente significante nas crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares em comparação às crianças sem queixas de dificuldades escolares e posteriormente foi acrescida a queixa referida de ¿tontura¿. Ao demonstrar os percentuais dos sintomas referidos mais comuns no ambiente escolar entre as crianças estudadas pudemos notar que, no primeiro momento, o sintoma referido de ¿náuseas¿ apresentou uma relação estatisticamente significante entre as crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares e posteriormente, com a amostra ampliada, acrescentou-se o sintoma referido de ¿vômito¿. Ambas as amostras, sem haver discrepância, demonstraram um grande desconforto em brincadeiras que exigem integridade das funções vestibulares e suas interligações como: pular corda; andar de bicicleta e ¿brincar no gira-gira¿ apresentando uma diferença estatisticamente significante. Com relação às queixas específicas de aprendizagem escolar, verificamos que as dificuldades em ¿ler¿ e ¿copiar¿ apresentaram uma relação estatisticamente significante nas crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares, em ambas as amostras, notando-se uma expressiva semelhança. Os dados obtidos na pesquisa da função vestibular em sua fase inicial foram reiterados no estudo final em que foi encontrado alto índice de exame vestibular normal nas crianças sem queixas de dificuldades escolares e baixo índice de normalidade nas crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares. Todas as alterações vestibulares encontradas foram de origem periférica irritativa tanto unilateral quanto bilateral, revelando uma disfunção vestibular frente à excitação labiríntica provocando hiperatividade vestibular. Os dados mostraram uma relação estatisticamente significante nas crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares ao serem comparadas às crianças sem queixas de dificuldades escolaresAbstract: Alterations in the learning process and/or delay in the acquisition of language account for complaints in children¿s pediatric, neurological, neuropsychological and phonoadiological clinic. Moreover, high rates of school failure in first cycle students have called the attention of specialists who assist children in school age. Amongst the basic factors for learning there are posture, equilibrium and motor coordination. Together with the central nervous system, the function of the vestibular system is to control the body position, eyes movements and space perception, this system is today taken to be one of the responsible for children¿s development. This research aimed to evaluate vestibular function in children with complaints of school difficulties as well as their complaints regarding the vestibular system. Was carried through in two important stages; initially 50 children were studied and later 88 children, all between age 7 and 12, which frequented public schools of the city of Piracicaba from 2004 to 2006. The procedures used were: anamnesis; otorhinolaryngological examination; audiologic examination and vestibular evaluation. In the initial results we noticed that 38.0% reported had school difficulties. When we increased the sample data we noticed that 49.0% of children referring school difficulties. In the study of the most common complaints reported, we could observe that the complaint reported of "stunnedness" had a statistically significant relation in children with school difficulties complaints compared to children without school difficulties complaints and later the complaint reported of "giddiness" was added. When considering the percentages of the most common symptoms reported in the school environment among the studied children we could notice that at first the symptom reported of "nauseas" presented a statistically significant relation among children with school difficulties complaints and that later, with the extended sample, the ¿vomit" symptom reported was added. Both samples demonstrate with no discrepancies a great discomfort in playful activities that demand integrity of vestibular function and its interconnections: to rope jumping; to ride a bicycle and to play in the turning wheel presenting a statistically significant difference regarding children with and without school difficulties complaints. As concerns o school difficulties complaints linked to school performance, we verified that "reading" and "copying" difficulties had a statistically significant relation in children with school difficulties complaints in both samples and there was an expressive similarity. Data collected by the research on vestibular function in its initial phase were confirmed in the final study: a high rate of normal vestibular function in children without school difficulties complaints was found and a low rate of normality in children with school difficulties complaints. All vestibular alterations found had peripheral irritative origin, both unilateral and bilateral, showing a vestibular dysfunction linked to labyrinth excitement provoking vestibular hyperactivity. Data had a statistically significant relation in children with school difficulties complaints compared to children without school difficulties complaintsDoutoradoSaude da Criança e do AdolescenteDoutor em Saude da Criança e do Adolescent

Otoneurologic Evaluation in children with school difficulties: vestibular function investigation

Summary: According to the literature, child vestibular dysfunctions can considerably affect their ability of communication and school performance. Aim: to study the vestibular function in children with school difficulties and associated symptoms. Case study: Clinical study with transversal cohort. Method: Research subjects were 50 school children between 7 and 12 years old, from a public school of Piracicaba city, during the years 2004 and 2005. The procedure was based on: anamnesis; otorrinolaryngologic evaluation; audiologic evaluation and vestibular evaluation. Results: All children assessed, 62.0% did not have school difficulties and 38.0% had school difficulties. Dizziness was the most common general complaint (36.0%). Migraine was the most common symptom regarding the school environment (50.0%). We found a high rate of normal vestibular condition (74.2%) in children without school difficulties and low normality rate in those with school difficulties (31.6%). All found vestibular alterations, both unilateral and bilateral, had been of peripheral irritative origin, accounting for 68.4% of cases for children with school difficulties and 25.8% for children without school difficulties. Conclusion: Dizziness, nausea, reading and copying difficulties presented a statistically significant relationship between the studied variables. All found vestibular alterations had been of peripheral irritative origin. Data showed a statistically significant relationship among variables. Keywords: school difficulties, labyrinth diseases, vertig

Vestibular function in children underperforming at school

Learning is a complex, dynamic process, structured from motor and perception skills which, when cortically processed, give birth to cognition. Balance is a fundamental neurological function that helps us maintain proper postures, an essential factor in learning and a sign or neurologic maturity. AIM: this paper aims to study vestibular function in children underperforming at school. STUDY DESIGN: this is a cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHOD: eighty-eight children with ages ranging between 7 and 12 years attending the public schools of Piracicaba from 2004 to 2006 were enrolled. All children were interviewed, submitted to ENT examination, hearing tests, and vestibular examination. RESULTS: fifty-one percent of the participants had no reported difficulties at school, whereas 49.0% were underperforming at school. Under vestibular examination, 73.3% of the children performing well at school had normal findings, whereas 32.6% of the underperforming children had normal test results. Unilateral and bilateral irritative peripheral vestibular alterations were found in 67.4% of the underperformers and in 26.7% of the children not experiencing difficulties at school. CONCLUSION: all vestibular alterations found had an irritative peripheral origin. There was a statistically significant association between vestibular alteration and poor performance at school.O aprendizado é um processo complexo, dinâmico, estruturado a partir de um ato motor e perceptivo, que, elaborado corticalmente, dá origem à cognição. O equilíbrio é função neurológica importante para a manutenção de posturas adequadas, imprescindíveis no ato de aprender, indicativo de maturidade neurológica. OBJETIVO: Estudar a função vestibular em crianças com dificuldades escolares. ESTUDO DE CASO: Estudo clínico com coorte transversal. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foram estudadas 88 crianças entre 7 e 12 anos, que freqüentavam escolas públicas da cidade de Piracicaba durante os anos de 2004 e 2006. Os procedimentos utilizados foram: a anamnese; exame otorrinolaringológico; exame audiológico e avaliação vestibular. RESULTADOS: Das crianças avaliadas, 51,0% não relataram dificuldades escolares e 49,0% referiram ter dificuldades escolares. Encontramos 73,3% de exame vestibular normal nas crianças sem dificuldades escolares e 32,6% de normalidade nas crianças com dificuldades escolares. Encontramos alterações vestibulares de origem periférica irritativa tanto unilateral como bilateral, perfazendo um total de 67,4% para as crianças com dificuldades escolares e um total de 26,7% para crianças sem dificuldades escolares. CONCLUSÃO: Todas as alterações vestibulares encontradas foram de origem periférica irritativa. Os dados revelaram uma relação estatisticamente significante nas crianças com dificuldades escolares.81582

Audition and exhibition to toluene - a contribution for the theme

Introduction: With the technological advances and the changes in the productive processes, the workers are displayed the different physical and chemical agents in its labor environment. The toluene is solvent an organic gift in glues, inks, oils, amongst others. Objective: To compare solvent the literary findings that evidence that diligent displayed simultaneously the noise and they have greater probability to develop an auditory loss of peripheral origin. Method: Revision of literature regarding the occupational auditory loss in displayed workers the noise and toluene. Results: The isolated exposition to the toluene also can unchain an alteration of the auditory thresholds. These audiometric findings, for ototoxicity the exposition to the toluene, present similar audiograms to the one for exposition to the noise, what it becomes difficult to differentiate a audiometric result of agreed exposition - noise and toluene - and exposition only to the noise. Conclusion: The majority of the studies was projected to generate hypotheses and would have to be considered as preliminary steps of an additional research. Until today the agents in the environment of work and its effect they have been studied in isolated way and the limits of tolerance of these, do not consider the agreed expositions. Considering that the workers are displayed the multiples agent and that the auditory loss is irreversible, the implemented tests must be more complete and all the workers must be part of the program of auditory prevention exactly displayed the low doses of the recommended limit of exposition

Vectoelectronystagmography in children with dyslexia and learning disorder

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe and compare the results of ocular (saccadic, screening, and optokinetic) tests of vectoelectronystagmography among the groups with dyslexia, learning disorder and control. Methods: 28 male and female students aged 8 to 11 years participated in this study. They were divided into three groups: Group I, 10 students with dyslexia, Group II, 9 students with learning disorders and Group III, 9 students with no learning disorders. In this research, digital vectoelectronystagmography - ocular test - was performed. Results: saccadic movement, optokinetic nystagmus, and pendular tracking tests were found to show subtle differences among the three groups. Comparing the saccadic eye movements and the optokinetic nystagmus tests, it was observed that the movement in the left eye was slower for Group I, and even slower for Group II. It was also observed that GI and GII were slower for the pendular tracking of luminous stimulus in relation to the control group. Conclusion: in general, there are differences among the groups in the vectoelectronystagmography, which indicated slower tracking and vestibulo-ocular reflex in children with dyslexia and learning disorders

Sintomas vestibulares em crianças com queixa de dificuldades escolares Vestibular symptoms in children with complaints of school difficulties

OBJETIVO: Estudar os sintomas vestibulares em crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares. MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas 88 crianças entre sete e 12 anos, que freqüentavam escolas públicas da cidade de Piracicaba no período de 2004 a 2006. Os procedimentos utilizados foram: a anamnese; exame otorrinolaringológico; exame audiológico e questionário dirigido utilizado como instrumento de coleta de dados. RESULTADOS: Das crianças avaliadas 51% não relataram dificuldades escolares e 49% referiram ter dificuldades escolares. A queixa referida mais comum foi a de vertigem (22,7%), e os sintomas referidos mais comuns no ambiente escolar foram de ansiedade (95,5%) e cefaléia (53,4%), as dificuldades escolares mais citadas foram a de ler (56,8%) e a de copiar (43,2%). CONCLUSÕES: A queixa de tontura e as dificuldades em ler e copiar apresentaram relação estatisticamente significante nas crianças com queixas de dificuldades escolares.<br>PURPOSE: To study vestibular symptoms in children with complaints of school difficulties. METHODS: Eighty-eight children between seven and 12 years old were studied. The subjects attended public schools from Piracicaba - SP (Brazil) during the period from 2004 to 2006. The procedures included: anamnesis, otorhinolaryngological examination, audiological examination, and a directed questionnaire used as an instrument for data gathering. RESULTS: From the evaluated children, 51% had no complaints of school difficulties, and 49% reported school difficulties. The most common complaint reported was vertigo (22.7%), and the most common symptoms reported in school environment were anxiety (95.5%) and chronic headache (53.4%). The most cited school difficulties were reading (56.8%) and copying (43.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Vertigo complaints and reading and copying difficulties presented a statistically significant relation in children with complaints of school difficulties

Avaliação otoneurológica em crianças com queixa de dificuldades escolares: pesquisa da função vestibular Otoneurologic evaluation in children with school difficulties: vestibular function investigation

Segundo a literatura, a disfunção vestibular infantil pode afetar consideravelmente a habilidade de comunicação e o desempenho escolar. OBJETIVO: Estudar a função vestibular em crianças com dificuldades escolares e suas queixas vestibulares. ESTUDO DE CASO: Estudo Clínico com coorte transversal. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas 50 crianças entre 7 e 12 anos, que freqüentavam escolas públicas de Piracicaba durante os anos de 2004 e 2005. Os procedimentos foram: anamnese; exame otorrinolaringológico; exame audiológico e avaliação vestibular. RESULTADOS: Das crianças avaliadas, 62,0% não relataram dificuldades escolares e 38,0% referiram ter dificuldades. A queixa geral mais comum foi de tontura (36,0%), e o sintoma mais comum no ambiente escolar foi de cefaléia (50,0%). Encontramos 74,2% de exame vestibular normal nas crianças sem dificuldades escolares e 31,6% de normalidade nas crianças com dificuldades. Encontramos alterações vestibulares de origem periférica irritativa tanto unilateral como bilateral, num total de 68,4% para as crianças com dificuldades escolares e um total de 25,8% para crianças sem dificuldades escolares. CONCLUSÃO: A queixa de atordoamento, o sintoma de náuseas e as dificuldades em ler e copiar apresentaram uma relação estatisticamente significante. Todas as alterações vestibulares encontradas foram de origem periférica irritativa. Os dados revelaram uma relação estatisticamente significante.<br>According to the literature, child vestibular dysfunctions can considerably affect their ability of communication and school performance. AIM: to study the vestibular function in children with school difficulties and associated symptoms. CASE STUDY: Clinical study with transversal cohort. METHOD: Research subjects were 50 school children between 7 and 12 years old, from a public school of Piracicaba city, during the years 2004 and 2005. The procedure was based on: anamnesis; otorrinolaryngologic evaluation; audiologic evaluation and vestibular evaluation. RESULTS: All children assessed, 62.0% did not have school difficulties and 38.0% had school difficulties. Dizziness was the most common general complaint (36.0%). Migraine was the most common symptom regarding the school environment (50.0%). We found a high rate of normal vestibular condition (74.2%) in children without school difficulties and low normality rate in those with school difficulties (31.6%). All found vestibular alterations, both unilateral and bilateral, had been of peripheral irritative origin, accounting for 68.4% of cases for children with school difficulties and 25.8% for children without school difficulties. CONCLUSION: Dizziness, nausea, reading and copying difficulties presented a statistically significant relationship between the studied variables. All found vestibular alterations had been of peripheral irritative origin. Data showed a statistically significant relationship among variables