Comparison of the Motor Performance and Vestibular Function in Infants with a Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection or a Connexin 26 Mutation: A Preliminary Study.

Objectives: Hearing-impaired children are at risk for vestibular damage and delayed motor development. Two major causes of congenital hearing loss are cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and connexin (Cx) 26 mutations. Comparison of the motor performance and vestibular function between these specific groups is still underexplored.

Early motor development of children with a congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the most important etiology of non-hereditary childhood hearing loss and an important cause of neurodevelopmental delay. The current study aimed to investigate the early motor development of symptomatic and asymptomatic cCMV infected children with and without sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

Methods: Sixty-four children with a cCMV infection, without cerebral palsy, were compared to a control group of 107 normal hearing children.

Examining the impact of cochlear implantation on the early gross motor development of children with a hearing loss.

Objective: As deaf children are now implanted at a very early age, the influence of a cochlear implant (CI) on the early motor development of children with a hearing loss becomes relevant.

Design: Forty-eight children with a hearing loss were included in this controlled prospective follow-up study and were subdivided into a CI group (n = 23) receiving a CI during the follow-up period and a control group (n = 25) receiving no CI during the follow-up period. All children were assessed around the ages of 6 (T1), 12 (T2), 18 (T3), and 24 (T4) months with a motor test battery consisting of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2), Alberta Infant Motor Scales (AIMS) (only at T1 and T2), and Ghent Developmental Balance Test (GDBT) (only at T3 and T4).

Association between vestibular function and motor performance in hearing-impaired children.

Objective: The clinical balance performance of normal-hearing (NH) children was compared with the balance performance of hearing-impaired (HI) children with and without vestibular dysfunction to identify an association between vestibular function and motor performance.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Middle and inner ear malformations in two siblings exposed to valproic acid during pregnancy: a case report.

Valproic acid (VPA) is a known teratogenic drug. Exposure to VPA during the pregnancy can lead to a distinct facial appearance, a cluster of major and minor anomalies and developmental delay. In this case report, two siblings with fetal valproate syndrome and a mild conductive hearing loss were investigated.

Rotatory and collic vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired children.

Objectives: Vertigo and imbalance are often underestimated in the pediatric population, due to limited communication abilities, atypical symptoms, and relatively quick adaptation and compensation in children. Moreover, examination and interpretation of vestibular tests are very challenging, because of difficulties with cooperation and maintenance of alertness, and because of the sometimes nauseatic reactions. Therefore, it is of great importance for each vestibular laboratory to implement a child-friendly test protocol with age-appropriate normative data.

Gait analysis with cognitive-motor dual tasks to distinguish fallers from nonfallers among rehabilitating stroke patients.

Objectives: To evaluate fall risk in stroke patients based on single- and dual-task gait analyses, and to investigate the difference between 2 cognitive tasks in the dual-task paradigm.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Rehabilitation hospitals.

The influence of a vestibular dysfunction on the motor development of hearing-impaired children.

Objectives/hypothesis: To identify the predictive ability of vestibular function test results on motor performance among hearing-impaired children.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Fifty-one typically developing children and 48 children with a unilateral (n = 9) or bilateral hearing impairment (n = 39) of more than 40 dB HL between 3 and 12 years were tested by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (M ABC-2), clinical balance tests, posturography, rotatory chair testing, and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP).

Ghent developmental balance test: a new tool to evaluate balance performance in toddlers and preschool children.

Background: Balance is a fundamental component of movement. Early identification of balance problems is important to plan early intervention. The Ghent Developmental Balance Test (GDBT) is a new assessment tool designed to monitor balance from the initiation of independent walking to 5 years of age.

Prediction of falling among stroke patients in rehabilitation.

Objective: To identify risk factors and predict falling in stroke patients. To determine the strength of general vs mobility screening for this prediction.

Design: Prospective study.

Construct validity of the assessment of balance in children who are developing typically and in children with hearing impairments.

Background: Children with hearing impairments have a higher risk for deficits in balance and gross motor skills compared with children who are developing typically. As balance is a fundamental ability for the motor development of children, a valid and reliable assessment to identify weaknesses in balance is crucial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the construct validity of posturography and clinical balance tests in children with hearing impairments and in children who are developing typically.