Influence of middle ear alterations on children's balance

Background Postural instability is a possible symptom in children with otitis media, which often occurs in this population. The child with balance disorders usually has intolerance to sudden movements, difficulties in moving in the dark, nausea, vomiting and numerous fall events. To verify whether c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of public health 2021-08, Vol.31 (Supplement_2)
Main Authors: Ferreira, Joana, Silva, Carla Matos, Araújo, Inês
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Balance
Changes
Children
Disorders
Intolerance
Middle ear
Otitis media
Posture
Public health
Sensory integration
Tympanic membrane
Unilateralism
Vomiting
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Summary:Background Postural instability is a possible symptom in children with otitis media, which often occurs in this population. The child with balance disorders usually has intolerance to sudden movements, difficulties in moving in the dark, nausea, vomiting and numerous fall events. To verify whether changes in the middle ear can influence the balance postural in children from 3 to 5 years. Methods The sample consisted of 31 children of both sexes, aged between 3 and 5 years. To collect data, a tympanogram was used to analyze the integrity of the tympanic membrane and the Modifid Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance (MCTSIB), with four different sensory conditions, to assess static postural balance. Results Regarding the tympanogram, it was verified that the majority of the sample showed no changes, 45.2% of which were type A and 32.3% of type C1. Regarding the type B and C2 tympanogram, it was found that 12.9% of the sample had type B tympanogram and 9.7% type C2. When comparing these values with the MCTSIB results, there were no significant differences between the tympanogram with changes (B and C2) and the tympanogram without changes (A and C1), regarding the child's balance performance. Conclusions In this study, it was concluded that the alterations of the middle ear, proved through the tympanogram, did not influence the postural balance. However, it was found that the unilateral changes reported by the tympanogram, suggest higher values of postural oscillation, compared to bilateral changes.
ISSN:1101-1262
1464-360X
DOI:10.1093/eurpub/ckab120.053