Balance Ability In Children Research Articles

Can Functional Eccentric Muscle Control Remedies Balance Ability in Children with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Background: Eccentric training redresses the consequences of spastic muscle shortening by altering the length– tension characteristics of muscle to operate at longer lengths Purpose: Purpose of this study was to study the effect of eccentric control training on balance and gross motor function in children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy. Methods: The study was prospective controlled study, simple randomization plane used to assign participants, triple blind study (participant, outcomes assessor, data analysts). 40 children with spastic cerebral palsy were enrolled from the pediatrics' out-patient clinic, faculty of physical therapy, Cairo University. Participants randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received 60 minute of neurodevelopmental technique and eccentric control exercise. While, 60 minute of neurodevelopmental technique was applied for the control group. Stability index of The Biodex balance system (primary measure) as well as standing and gait parameters of the gross motor function measures (secondary measure) were evaluated before and after the trail. Results: There was a significant difference between the control and the study group in the overall stability indices in favour of the study group (P<0.001) with confidence interval 95%. Significant increase in the values of GMFM post treatment of study group compared with the control group (p<0.02). Conclusion: Eccentric control exercise therapy in children with spastic Cerebral Palsy is an effective approach to develop balance and gross motor function.

기능적인 저항훈련이 운동이상형 뇌성마비 아동의 대동작과 균형능력에 미치는 영향 : 단일사례설계

Purpose : The purpose of this research is to find clinical effects of functional resistance training using weighted vest on gross motor and balance abilities of children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Methods : This study selects 3 subjects for 8~12 years old who were diagnosed with children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. The Design is ABA design of single-subject research design. Baseline(A) and TypeII Baseline(A : 12weeks) phases were received with NDT treatment, Intervention(B : 12weeks) phase provided with 40 minute functional resistance training using weighted vest in a session twice a week. In order to analyze the measure results of gross motor function and performance, balance abilities in children dyskinetic cerebral palsy during baseline, intervention and typeII baseline phase. Result : A statistically significant differences in the total GMFM including walking/running/jumping during baseline, intervention, typeII baseline, but no significant differences in the lying/rolling, sitting, crawling/kneeling and standing. A statistically significant differences in the total GMPM including dissociated movement, coordination, weight shift, stability during baseline, intervention, typeII baseline, but no significant differences in the body alignment domains. A statistically significant differences in the length and surface area ellipse of center of pressure during baseline, intervention, typeII baseline. Conclusion : The intervention method to facilitate multi-joint and closed kinematic chain movement equipped weighted vest applied functional resistance training on children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy effectively improve on gross motor function and performance, balance abilities.

Static Balance Ability in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Static Balance Ability in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Balance ability in 7- and 10-year-old children: associations with prenatal lead and cadmium exposure and with blood lead levels in childhood in a prospective birth cohort study

ObjectivesMost studies reporting evidence of adverse effects of lead and cadmium on the ability to balance have been conducted in high-exposure groups or have included adults. The effects of prenatal...

The impact of obesity on plantar pressure and balance ability in children

The impact of obesity on plantar pressure and balance ability in children

Balance in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-combined type

The balance ability in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-combined type (ADHD-C) has not been fully examined, particularly dynamic sitting balance. Moreover, the findings of some published studies are contradictory. We examined the static and dynamic sitting balance ability in 20 children with ADHD-C (mean age: 9 years 3 months; 18 boys, 2 girls) and 20 age-, sex-, height-, weight-, and IQ-matched healthy and typically developing controls (mean age: 9 years 2 months; 18 boys, 2 girls). The balance subtests of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) were used to compare the two groups, and a mechanical horseback riding test was recorded using a motion-capture system. Compared with the controls, children with ADHD-C had less-consistent patterns of movement, more deviation of movement area, and less-effective balance strategies during mechanical horseback riding. In addition, their performance on the balance subtests of the MABC and BOTMP were not as well as those of the controls. Our findings suggest that balance ability skill levels in children with ADHD-C were generally not as high as those of the controls in various aspects, including static and dynamic balance.

Clinical balance tests for evaluation of balance dysfunction in children with sensorineural hearing loss

EnAbstract Aim Children with hearing impairment may have a potential risk for vestibular dysfunctions. They may undergo a sensory redistribution process whereby visual and somatosensory information becomes more essential for postural control. The aim of the study was to assess the balance ability in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) compared with normal-hearing controls using clinical balance subset tests. A second aim was to determine the prognostic value of some etiological, audiological, and demographic (age and sex) factors in predicting a possibility for vestibular impairment for the early identification of children with vestibular deficits. Participants and methods Thirty children with normal hearing (17 girls and 13 boys) and 50 children with bilateral SNHL of varying degree, aged between 5 and 15 years, were recruited from the Audiology Unit of Assiut University Hospital. All of them were subjected to the following: basic audiological evaluation (pure tone, speech audiometry), immittancemetry and auditory brainstem responses, clinical balance subset tests of the standardized Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of motor proficiency (BOT-2), modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance (mCTSIB), one-leg stand (OLS), and tandem stand. Results Hearing-impaired (HI) children showed bilateral SNHL of varying degree, ranging from moderate to profound hearing loss (moderately–severe 32%, severe 18%, and profound 50%) and of different etiologies (heredofamilial 46%, acquired 38%, not known 16%). Balance abilities as measured in this study were significantly poorer in HI children compared with normal-hearing children. HI children with acquired cause and profound degree of SNHL had the highest abnormal score in these clinical tests compared children with other etiologies and degrees of SNHL (although this difference did not reach statistical significance). In most clinical balance tests that were done in this study, the youngest children in the HI group achieved scores that were almost lower than the scores obtained by the older age groups; the most significant difference was observed for tests performed with eyes closed. Conclusion Balance dysfunction occurs in a significant percentage of HI children and may have significant detrimental effects on motor development mainly in very young children. Therefore, information on the identification and treatment of these balance dysfunctions is crucial.

Effects of a trampoline exercise intervention on motor performance and balance ability of children with intellectual disabilities

Balance and motor impairments are most evident among inactive individuals with ID that might be particularly susceptible to a loss of basic functioning and further limit the person's autonomy in activities of daily living. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a 12-week trampoline exercise intervention program on motor and balance ability of school aged children with intellectual disability (ID). Eighteen healthy schools aged children (mean age=10.3 ± 1.6 years) with moderate ID were assigned either to an experimental group (n=9) or a control group (n=9). The experiment group attended a 12 weeks trampoline training intervention program consisting of daily individualized 20-min sessions, while the control group followed the regular school schedule. Balance was assessed using three tasks of increased difficulty (double-leg stance with eyes opened or closed, and one-leg stance with eyes opened) performed while standing on an electronic pressure platform (EPS). Motor performance of all participants was tested using sit and reach test and long and vertical jump tests all derived from the Eurofit Test Battery of physical fitness. Trampoline intervention resulted in significant improvements of participants' performance in all motor and balance tests. In conclusion, trampoline training can be an effective intervention for improving functional outcomes and can be recommended as an alternative mode of physical activity programming for improving balance and motor performance. Furthermore, it also supports the idea that individuals with ID require enjoyable and interesting intervention programs such as the trampoline program used in this study so as to remain active and consequently to facilitate their overall development and promote a more active and healthier way of life.

다양한 지지면에서 균형운동이 경직성 뇌성마비 양하지마비 아동의 대동작기능 및 균형능력에 미치는 효과

Purpose : The present study has been performed to find the effects on gross motor function and balance ability of applying a balance exercise program consisting of motions able to stimulate balance-related sensory systems on various support surfaces along with goal-oriented upper extremity tasks to enhance the balance ability. Methods : 10children diagnosed as having spastic diplegia were selected as the subject for this study, of whom 5children were randomly assigned to a control group (CG) and the remainder to a balance exercise group (BEG) to perform the upper extremity task on various support surfaces. Each intervention was executed 30minutes per session with 2sessions a week for 12weeks. To make comparisons before and after intervention, gross motor function measure; standing; demention D(GMFM;D), walking/running/jumping ;demention E (GMFM;E) and pediatric balance scale (PBS) were evaluated. Results : The CG showed a significant difference (p<.05) in GMFM;E. BEG showed a significant difference (p<.05) in GMFM;D as well as GMFM;E and in PBS before and after intervention. BEG showed a significant improvement (p<.05) in GMFM;D and the PBS compared with the CG whereas it did not indicate any statistically significant difference in GMFM;E. Conclusion : According to the results of this study, it has been shown that a balance exercise accompanied by upper extremity task on various support surfaces had an effect on improvement in the gross motor function and the balance ability of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

The Effect of Movement Education Program on Movement Imitation ability and Balance ability of Children with Mental Retardation

The Effect of Movement Education Program on Movement Imitation ability and Balance ability of Children with Mental Retardation

A Test of Static and Dynamic Balance Function in Children With Cochlear Implants

To determine the incidence of static and dynamic balance dysfunction in a group of children with profound sensorineural hearing loss receiving a cochlear implant and to assess the impact of cochlear implant activation on equilibrium. Observational cross-sectional study of children with single-sided implants, tested under 2 conditions: (1) implant on and (2) implant off in a random order. Ambulatory setting within an academic, tertiary care children's hospital. Forty-one children (ages 4-17 years) with cochlear implants comprised the study group. Fourteen children with normal hearing served as controls. All participants performed a standardized test of static and dynamic balance function (Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 [BOT2], balance subset). Children with implants performed the BOT2 under the 2 randomized conditions. Overall performance on the balance subset of the BOT2 and the influence of implant activation on performance. The mean (SD) age-adjusted scale score for our control group was 17 (5) points (95% confidence interval [CI], 14-20), which was not significantly different (P = .15) from the published age-adjusted mean for the BOT2 balance subset (15 [5] points). The group that had undergone implantation, however, performed significantly more poorly (12 [ 6] points; 95% CI, 10-14) than either the control group or the published test mean (P = .004). Children with implants performed better with their implants on than with their implants off (mean [SD] difference, 1.3 [2.7] points; 95% CI, 0.3-2.3; P = .01). Large differences exist in the balance ability of children with sensorineural hearing loss requiring cochlear implantation compared with age-matched controls. Implant activation, however, conferred a slight advantage in accomplishing balance-related tasks. These results substantiate the need to further quantify the baseline vestibular dysfunction of our study population of children with cochlear implants, as well as the impact of implant activation on the input and output of the vestibular system.

Using the Berg Balance Scale to Distinguish Balance Abilities in Children with Cerebral Palsy

This study was designed to evaluate the use of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) to assess the balance abilities of children with cerebral palsy. Thirty-six ambulatory children with cerebral palsy and 14 children with no motor impairment (ages eight to 12 years) were assessed on the BBS and the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM). Participants with cerebral palsy comprised three groups based on diagnosis (spastic hemiplegia, spastic diplegia who ambulated without aids, and spastic diplegia who ambulated with aids). A fourth group consisted of control subjects with no motor impairment. It was hypothesized that these four groups demonstrated a hierarchy of balance abilities. A one-way ANOVA was used to detect significant differences in test scores among the four groups. The analysis was repeated categorizing children on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) instead of diagnosis. The ability to use scores on the GMFM was slightly better than using BBS scores to distinguish among the groups when children were classified using diagnosis. Significant pair-wise differences among the groups were present on both the BBS and the GMFM when the children were grouped on the GMFCS. The results suggest that the BBS can be considered as a clinical measure of balance for children with cerebral palsy, and a functional classification system can be used to group children more homogeneously than traditional classification by diagnosis.

Objective Assessment of the Quality of Response During Two Equilibrium Tasks

Therapists typically evaluate the balance abilities of children as part of developmental or diagnostic assessments. While the pattern or quality of a child's balance reaction is considered to be an important indicator of developmental delay or disability, no criteria for objectively scoring the qualitative aspects of balance reactions have been developed. As a result, the evaluation of the quality of a balance reaction has remained subjective. The purpose of this investigation was to develop a qualitative grading scale for scoring the overall pattern of balance reactions on two clinical tests of balance: Tilt Board Reach and Flat Board Reach. Six patterns of response were identified in an initial sample of 66 normal children and 25 children with learning disabilities. Two trained assistants, unaware of age and group membership, then graded the responses of an independent sample of 263 normal children between 2 and 13 years of age, and 26 boys with learning disability and sensory integrative dysfunction between 7 and 14 years of age. Descriptive analysis of patterns of response by age for the normal children resulted in the identification of three normal patterns and three atypical patterns. Although boys with identified learning disabilities associated with sensory integrative dysfunction often used normal patterns, they were more likely than normal children to use either abnormal patterns or patterns commonly used by very young children.

DEVELOPMENTAL PATTERNS OF STATIC BALANCE ABILITY AND THEIR RELATION TO COGNITIVE SCHOOL READINESS

Developmental patterns of static balance ability in children at ages 5 to 9 years were assessed by using a technique of electronic ataxiametry, consisting of the measurement of body weight displacement by pressure transducers, mounted to four footplates, each to bear one heel or toe part. The obtained fluctuation and weight displacement scores for various postures, none lasting more than 20 seconds, turned out to correlate significantly with teacher's evaluation of school readiness, basic arithmetic skills, and reading achievement in samples of normal school children (one kindergarten, two first grades, two second grades, and one third grade; total, 206). Girls who were prococious in static balance ability in relation to boys tended to show higher within sex group correlations between equilibrium control and school and reading readiness. A sample of 33 undifferentiated educationally handicapped pupils at age 9, having a generally but not significantly lower static balance ability in postures with occluded vision, was efficiently divided by ataxiametric scores into balance-impaired and balance-unimpaired subjects. The study seems to throw new light on the role of maturational and organic factors in the etiology of learning difficulties in normal and educationally handicapped children at the primary grades.