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Performance of preschoolers on the Pediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance
P K Richardson1, S W Atwater, T K Crowe
1Clinical Training Unit, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Insights
Five-year-olds demonstrated better standing balance than four-year-olds on the Pediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance (P-CTSIB). The feet-together position effectively identifies balance deficits in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Child development
- Motor control and balance assessment
Background:
- Assessing standing balance in young children is crucial for identifying developmental or neurological issues.
- The Pediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance (P-CTSIB) is a tool used to evaluate balance under varying sensory conditions.
- Limited research exists on the specific performance of 4- and 5-year-olds on the P-CTSIB and potential age/gender influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the balance performance of 4- and 5-year-old children using the P-CTSIB.
- To investigate age-related differences in balance performance in this age group.
- To examine gender-related differences in balance performance on the P-CTSIB.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Pediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance (P-CTSIB) with 40 children aged 4 and 5 years.
- Employed Kruskal-Wallis one-way analyses of variance by ranks to compare performance based on age and gender.
- Systematically altered sensory input to measure standing balance duration across various conditions.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related differences in balance duration were observed in 4 of 6 heel-toe conditions between 4- and 5-year-olds.
- Differences approached significance in 2 additional heel-toe conditions and one feet-together condition.
- No statistically significant gender differences were found, though girls generally performed better across conditions.
Conclusions:
- The feet-together position of the P-CTSIB is a valuable tool for differentiating children with and without balance deficits.
- The heel-toe position presents challenges for typically developing 4- and 5-year-olds, limiting its diagnostic utility for this age group.
- Further research may refine the P-CTSIB's application for assessing balance in preschool-aged children.
Abstract:
The purposes of this study were to describe the performance of 40 children aged 4 and 5 years on the Pediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance (P-CTSIB) and to determine whether age- and gender-related differences were present. The P-CTSIB measures standing balance when sensory input is systematically altered. Kruskal-Wallis one-way analyses of variance by ranks (p less than or equal to .05) were used for comparisons by age and gender. When the 4-year-olds were compared with the 5-year-olds, significant duration differences were found in 4 of the 6 conditions in the heel-toe position of the P-CTSIB. The age-related differences on the remaining 2 heel-toe conditions, as well as on Condition 6 of the feet-together position, approached significance. Gender differences with 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds combined were statistically non-significant in all instances; however, girls performed better on 9 of the 12 conditions of the P-CTSIB. The results indicate that the feet-together position can discriminate between children without balance deficits and children with balance deficits. The heel-toe position is difficult for children aged 4 and 5 years without balance deficits and consequently has limited diagnostic value for this age group.