The construct of balance control in primary school-aged children: Unidimensional and task-specific

The aim of this study was to determine the dimensionality and task-specificity of balance control by investigating the relationships between different tasks and the degree to which these tasks belong to the same construct in primary school-aged children. Seventy-four South African children were randomly selected from a sample of convenience. They performed 18 different balance tasks that were grouped into four balance scales: the Performance and Fitness (PERF-FIT) static balance score, the PERF-FIT dynamic balance score, the PERF-FIT moving cans balance score and the Balance Sensory score. Spearman rank correlations were calculated between the scores. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to investigate the number of factors within the construct. Moderate to good correlations were found between: i) PERF-FIT Moving cans balance score and the Balance Sensory score (r = 0.605, p < 0.001); ii) PERF-FIT static balance score and the PERF-FIT Moving cans (r = 0.586, p < 0.001); iii) PERF-FIT static balance score and the Balance Sensory score (r = 0.541, p < 0.001). All other correlations were low to fair. The PCA revealed one component. The three PERF-FIT items (moving cans-, static- and dynamic balance score) and the Balance Sensory score explained 59.4% of the variance of total balance performance

Gait and its components in typically developing preschoolers

To determine whether key spatio-temporal components of gait can be identified in children who are preschoolers. Subsequently the obtained components were correlated to results of functional balance tests to determine which of them are related to balance control. Objectives: To determine whether key spatio-temporal components of gait can be identified in children who are preschoolers. Subsequently the obtained components were correlated to results of functional balance tests to determine which of them are related to balance control.Methods: Thirty-three typically developing children performed gait on treadmill at three speeds (range 2-4.5 km/h), the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and the Timed Up and Go test (TUG). Principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was performed to detect relations between means and variability of step time, -length and -width, walking speed, age, BMI and leg length. Pearson correlation coefficients between the principal components and z-scores of the PBS and TUG were calculated.Results: PCA revealed three principal components. The first component, maturation, showed high loadings for mean step length (0.911), age (0.897), walking speed (0.895), leg length (0.874) and step time variability (-0.672) explaining 37.57% of the variance. The second component, variability of gait, loaded with step length variability (0.819) and step width variability (0.818), explaining 18.02% of the variance. The third component, robustness, showed high loadings for mean step time (0.729), BMI (0.668) and mean step width (0.521), explaining 13.89% of the variance. A significant weak correlation was found between robustness and z-scores of the PBS (r=0.230, p=0.005).Conclusions: It seems that the key spatio-temporal component robustness is complementary to functional balance tests, suggesting its relevance in the assessment of balance control in preschoolers.Acknowledgements We thank Carlien Ameloot, Niels De Belder, Ellen Declercq, TessaMarijnissen, Lize Meyers, Anja Simons and Sofie Thijs for their con-tribution to the data collectio

Balance control in individuals with developmental coordination disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Although it is recognized that the majority of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have balance deficits, comprehensive insights into which balance domains are affected, are still lacking in literature.Research question: To what extent is balance control deficient in individuals with DCD compared to controls?Methods: Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science were systematically searched. Risk of bias was assessed with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network checklist for case-control studies. Mean and standard deviations characterizing balance control were extracted to calculate standardized mean differences (SMD) and pooled, if possible, using Review Manager.Results: The results of 31 studies (1152 individuals with DCD, 1103 typically developing (TD) peers, mean age 10.4 years old) were extracted of which 17 were used for meta-analysis. The mean SMD for the balance subscale of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children was 1.63 (pooled 95 %CI =[1.30;1.97]), indicating children with DCD to perform significantly poorer than their TD peers. Force plate studies also revealed that children with DCD present with a larger sway path during bipedal stance with eyes closed (pooled mean SMD = 0.55; 95 %CI = [0.32;0.78]). Children with DCD tend to have direction-specific limited stability limits and task-independent delayed onset of anticipatory postural adjustments.Interpretation: Children with DCD perform poorer on different domains of balance compared to TD peers. Future research should focus on comprehensive balance assessment in these children, preferably using a longitudinal design

Age-related changes in postural sway in preschoolers

Abstract: Ojectives: The present study aimed to investigate age-related differences of postural sway in 3- to 6-year-old typically developing children in different sensory conditions and subsequently to provide reference values for global descriptive sway parameters in preschoolers. Methods: Ninety-six typically developing children, between three and five years of age, participated in this cross-sectional study. Postural sway was measured for 40 seconds in four conditions (eyes open/eyes closed on stable ground/foam) by using a force plate. Global descriptive sway parameters were calculated and analysed using a 2x2x3 (surface x vision x age group) MANOVA (p<0.05) in the children that were able to complete the task (40 seconds). Results: When sensory information was altered, a significantly smaller number of 3- and 4-year-olds was able to complete the task. Significant main effects of vision (p<0.05), surface (p<0.001) and an interaction effect between vision and surface (p<0.05) on all postural sway parameters were found. A significant main effect of age was found for antero-posterior amplitude (p=0.047), medio-lateral root mean square (p=0.012) and area (p=0.009) between 3- and 5-year-olds and 4- and 5- year-olds. No interaction effects (surface x vision x age group) were found. Conclusions: During natural stance, the amount of postural sway distinguishes five-year-olds from three- and four-year-olds, highlighting the need for age-specific reference values for specific balance-related sway parameters (e.g. RMS_ml). Regarding test conditions with altered sensory input, a larger number of 5-year-old children is able to perform more difficult tasks. Nevertheless, if 3- or 4-year-olds are able to perform the more difficult tasks, their performance can be compared to the older children.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Age-related changes in postural sway in preschoolers journaltitle: Gait & Posture articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.11.016 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Childhood Hearing Australasian Medical Professionals network: Consensus guidelines on investigation and clinical management of childhood hearing loss

Permanent hearing loss affects 1–3 per 1000 children in Australia;(1) this may be congenital or acquired, unilateral or bilateral, and ranges in severity from mild to profound. Hearing loss types include sensorineural (SNHL), including auditory neuropathy, conductive and mixed.Full Tex