Children achieve adult-like sensory integration during stance at 12-years-old

This study examined balance control in children to determine at what age the integration of sensory information in unperturbed stance is comparable to that of adults. In addition, it examined whether overall performance was related to age, gender and specific physical characteristics, such as height, weight and body mass index (BMI). Seventy-four female and 80 male children between the ages of 6 and 12 years participated in the study, as well as 20 adults, aged 20-22 years. The Sensory Organization Test (SOT), a component of computerized dynamic posturography, was used to assess overall balance as well as the use of specific sensory information in maintaining stability. Analyses of variance revealed significant differences between equilibrium scores of 7- and 8-year-old and 11- and 12-year-old (p < .01), with only the 12-year-old participants achieving scores comparable to those of the adult group. A repeated-measures analysis of variance comparing the use of different sensory information across age and gender groups revealed that while all groups demonstrated mature use of somatosensory information, children under 11 did not use visual information as effectively as adults, and only the 12-year-old group demonstrated adult-like use of vestibular information. Correlational analyses revealed a moderate correlation between composite balance scores and age, r(152) = .38, p < .001, but poor correlations between the composite equilibrium score and height, weight and BMI (r < .13, p > .15). Multiple regression analysis revealed that while physical characteristics accounted for approximately 20% of the variability in the composite equilibrium score, age alone accounted for the largest single contribution to the variance (16%). These results support recent findings suggesting that children do not demonstrate adult-like use of sensory information prior to age 12 years.