We Can Help Your Child Be Steady on Their Feet

From crawling and running to riding a bike and playing with friends, your child will move a lot while growing up. Some falls are to be expected, but if your child is frequently stumbling or feeling dizzy, they might have a balance disorder. At Doctors of Audiology, we’ll perform diagnostic testing for balance disorders to determine if your child has a disorder and provide them with treatment. 

Does My Child Have a Balance Disorder?

If your child is experiencing frequent falls, unusual eye movements, imbalance, delayed motor milestones or often complains about feeling dizzy, faint or lightheaded, they might have a balance disorder.

What Balance Disorders Typically Affect Children?

• Vestibular neuritis: This is caused by a viral infection, which in turn leads to inflammation of the vestibular nerve.
• Labyrinthitis: This condition is vestibular neuritis with hearing loss brought on by an infection in the inner ear.
• Benign paroxysmal torticollis of infancy: This disorder, which is thought to be a migrant variant, causes children to tilt their heads to reduce feelings of dizziness. It typically begins within six months of age and goes away by five years old.
• Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood: This condition is also thought to be related to migraines, though the specific causes are unknown. Children experience reoccurring, sometimes sudden, episodes of dizziness. 

What Tests Are Used To Diagnose Pediatric Balance Disorders?

When determining if your child has a balance disorder, our provider might perform:

• Image tests: These might include an MRI or CT scan.
• An electronystagmogram: Our provider will put electrodes around your child’s eyes and measure their response. This test detects rapid eye movements.
• A videonystagmography: This technique, which detects involuntary eye movements, involves measuring the response of your child’s eyes to moving dots, head and body movements and water or air in the ears.
• A vestibular evoked myogenic potential: This technique involves playing sounds in your child’s ear and studying the muscle response.
• A posturography: During this test, your child will stand on a platform, and their posture and balance will be measured.
• A balance questionnaire: You or your child will discuss how dizzy they feel while engaged in various activities throughout the day.

How Are Balance Disorders in Children Treated?

Our audiologist will work with your family to explain your child’s diagnosis and what the best treatment will be. Depending on the disorder and its severity, their recommendations might include medicine, surgery, physical therapy or treating hearing loss.

It’s Important To Seek Assistance for Your Child’s Balance Disorder

Children with balance disorders might struggle to walk, play sports or do schoolwork. But with the right treatment, they’ll be able to better engage with the activities that are important to them. At Doctors of Audiology, we can support your child from initial diagnosis to ongoing balance treatment.