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Normative values to Horus® computerized posturography in children
Ândrea de Melo Boaz1, Rudimar Dos Santos Riesgo1, Pricila Sleifer1
1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS - Porto Alegre (RS), Brasil.
Insights
This study establishes normative posturography values for children aged 4 to 6 years using the Horus® platform. These findings provide essential benchmarks for assessing balance and sensory integration in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Computerized posturography is crucial for assessing balance and sensory integration.
- Establishing normative data is essential for accurate clinical interpretation, especially in pediatric populations.
- The Horus® platform requires age-specific reference values for reliable use in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose normalization values for the Horus® computerized posturography platform.
- To define reference values for children aged 4 to 6 years without auditory or vestibular complaints.
- To provide a basis for the clinical assessment of balance in young children.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 216 healthy children aged 4 to 6 years.
- Participants underwent visual screening, audiological evaluation, and computerized posturography (stability limits and seven sensory conditions).
- Statistical analysis included non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn-Bonferroni, Mann-Whitney U) for age and sex comparisons.
Main Results:
- Normative values were established for stability limits and seven sensory conditions.
- Significant differences in stability limits were observed between sexes at age 4 and between age groups (4 vs. 5, 4 vs. 6 years).
- Age and sex-related differences were found in functional balance and sensory system assessments, including vestibular and visual dependence.
Conclusions:
- Normative values for the Horus® posturography platform were successfully established for healthy children aged 4 to 6 years.
- The study highlights age and sex variations in balance parameters within this age group.
- These normative values are crucial for the accurate interpretation of posturography results in pediatric clinical practice.
Purpose:
Propose normalization values of the Horus® computerized posturography platform, in children aged 4 to 6 years, without auditory and/or vestibular complaints.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study, 216 children aged 4 to 6 years participated. All the children underwent to visual screening, audiological evaluation and computerized posturography, which consists of research on stability limits and seven sensory conditions. The results were statistically analyzed using the tests non-parametric Kruskal-Walli, post hoc Dunn-Bonferroni for pairwise age comparisons and the Mann-Whitney U for sex analysis. Categorical data were presented in relative frequency and quantitative data in mean and standard deviation.
Results:
Standardization values were described for the stability limit and for the seven sensory conditions. There was a difference for the stability limit between sex at 4 years old(p<0.007) and, in the comparison between ages 4 and 5 (p=0.005) and 4 and 6 years old(p<0.001). In the residual functional balance, comparison between ages, there was a difference between 4 and 5, 4 and 6, 5 and 6 years, however for different data. The presence of statistical difference for different evaluation data also occurred in the analysis by sex. In the sensory systems, the findings between ages showed differences for the vestibular system, right and left optokinetic visual dependence, tunnel visual dependence and for the composite balance index.
Conclusion:
It was possible to establish normative values for the Horus® posturography in healthy children aged 4 to 6 years.
