Bilateral vestibular hypofunction in children

Vestibular hypofunction in children can lead to frequent falls and delayed motor development. Especially children with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) are most at risk for developing symptoms. These children might benefit from future therapies, like vestibular implants, to restore their vestibular system. This study aimed to describe the prevalence, etiology, motor development, and hearing status of pediatric patients with BVH.

A multicenter retrospective chart review of 492 children with sensorineural hearing loss was performed. Children with at least one bilaterally abnormal vestibular test were defined as having a BVH.

BVH was found in 23 % of the screened children. Especially children with syndromic hearing loss like Usher, CHARGE, or Waardenburg syndrome and infectious etiologies like congenital CMV and meningitis, were prone to have BVH on all performed tests. Children with BVH had a high percentage of motor developmental delay (81 %), especially if all tests were abnormal on both sides (97 %).

It is recommended to perform vestibular screening in children with sensorineural hearing loss, as BVH is prevalent. BVH has a very high risk of causing a delay in motor development. Especially in children with BVH on all vestibular tests, motor development is impaired. Those children might benefit from vestibular implants in the future.