Clinical use of child-friendly video head impulse test in dizzy children.

Objective: To investigate the high-frequency vestibular functions using a child-friendly video head impulse test and to classify vestibular symptoms using a standard nomenclature guideline in dizzy children.

Materials And Methods: The video head impulse test with a remote camera was used in this study. The data of 40 dizzy children (7.30 ± 4.75 years) were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: The high-frequency vestibulo-ocular reflex gains of 14 (35%) dizzy children in the study group were reduced, whereas the vestibulo-ocular reflex gains of 26 (65%) dizzy children were normal. Two of them had a dramatic reduction in vestibulo-ocular reflex gains on their affected SCCs, but no corrective saccades as their gazes had not been fixated on the target at the onset of head impulses. In dizzy children, the most common cause was inner ear malformation (15%) and the most common vestibular symptom was unsteadiness (25%).

Conclusion: The high-frequency vestibular function of the VOR in dizzy children, especially those suffering from IEM and unsteadiness, can be quickly screened using the vHIT device with the remote camera. However, clinicians should be careful during the interpretation of traces in the pediatric group.