Approach to vertigo in children: A single-center experience

Pediatric vertigo is not a rare symptom, and it has a significant impact on the child's quality of life. The aim was to describe the etiologies, diagnostic steps, and treatment outcomes in pediatric vertigo. Forty patients who presented with vertigo between May 2018 and September 2024 were evaluated. The etiology was determined by physical examinations, family histories, blood tests, and cranial imaging methods of the patients, and treatments were planned accordingly; 22 (55%) of the patients were female, and 18 (45%) were male. The ages of the patients ranged from 3 to 18 (median 14). The diagnosis was psychogenic vertigo in 5 patients (12.5%), vertigo associated with migraine in 3 patients (7.5%), epileptic vertigo in 3 patients (7.5%), vestibuloneurinitis in 1 patient (2.5%), vertigo occurring after chickenpox infection in 2 patients (5%), vertigo due to orthostatic hypotension in 4 patients (10%), iron deficiency anemia in 4 patients (10%), intracranial subdural hemorrhage due to trauma in 1 patient (2.5%), B12 deficiency in 5 patients (12.5%), and benign positional paroxysmal vertigo of childhood in 12 patients (30%). Vertigo is a disturbing symptom in children, and severe cases require immediate medical attention. Although treatment varies depending on the etiology, we recommend cranial imaging to all patients.