Vestibular Rehabilitation for a Child With Posterior Fossa Syndrome: A Case Report

This case report assesses gaze stability, postural control, and balance pre- and post-physical therapy intervention, including vestibular rehabilitation, in a 4-year-old child with posterior fossa syndrome following gross total resection of a juvenile astrocytoma brain tumor.

The child in this case study had improved balance and gaze stability, as determined by the Pediatric Balance Scale and the Dynamic Visual Acuity test upon completion of the 10-week intervention. STATEMENT OF CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE:: This case provides preliminary support of the need for vestibular screening in children with a diagnosis of posterior fossa syndrome. The success of the intervention suggests that vestibular rehabilitation exercises can be modified for use in preschool-aged children, and the specific intervention outlined in this case report can be easily replicated in a variety of treatment settings.