Vertiges de l’enfant

Abstract

When vertigo and dizziness are diagnosed in a child, this is a matter of concern for the physician and the child’s family. Prior to a comprehensive otological, neurological and vestibular clinical examination, physicians often prescribe CT Scanning or NMR. In most cases, such expensive testing is unnecessary. The present work is based on the results of a 14-year study conducted with a sample of more than 2000 patients referred for vertigo and balance disorders to the functional vestibular evaluation unit of the ENT paediatric department at Robert Debré Hospital (Paris). The clinical signs of vestibular deficit and the most frequent origins of vertigo and dizziness in children are detailed (migraine equivalent, ophthalmologic disorders, benign paroxysmal idiopathic paediatric vertigo, temporal bone fracture), which has been helpful in determining the best diagnostic procedure and therapy for vertigo in children.