Reliability of Static and Dynamic Balance Tests and Their Interrelationships in Children With Cochlear Implants

Area of Science:

• Pediatric audiology
• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Clinical assessment reliability

Background:

• Children with cochlear implants face higher risks of vestibular dysfunction and balance issues.
• Reliability of standard balance tests in this group is not well-established.
• This study addresses the need to evaluate balance assessment reliability in pediatric cochlear implant users.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the intrarater reliability of static (single-leg stance test, tandem Romberg test) and dynamic (timed up and go test, figure-of-eight walk test) balance tests.
• To evaluate the reliability of the Paediatric Balance Scale (PBS), incorporating both static and dynamic components.
• To examine the relationships between various balance tests in children with cochlear implants.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-two children (aged 7-13 years) with cochlear implants participated.
• All participants underwent static and dynamic balance tests, including the PBS.
• Two test sessions were conducted by the same physiotherapist within one week to ensure intrarater reliability.

Main Results:

• All tested balance assessments demonstrated excellent intrarater reliability (ICCs 0.906–0.985).
• The Paediatric Balance Scale (PBS) showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88).
• Strong correlations were found between static tests, moderate correlations among dynamic tests, and weaker correlations between static and dynamic tests.

Conclusions:

• The evaluated balance tests exhibit excellent intrarater reliability for children with cochlear implants.
• The Paediatric Balance Scale also demonstrates excellent internal consistency.
• While reliability is confirmed, further research on validity is recommended to establish clinical utility.