Comparison of balance and gait in visually or hearing impaired children.
The study was planned to evaluate the effect of loss of hearing and vision on balance and gait in 60 children, 20 of whom had hearing loss (M age = 9.3 yr., SD = 0.9), 20 who were visually impaired (M age = 12.2 yr., SD = 2.5), and 20 controls with no disability (M age = 9.4 yr., SD = 0.6). Standing Balance subtests of the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests were used. Gait analysis was conducted on a powdered surface. When the gait analysis results of the three groups of children were compared, statistically significant differences were noted. Scores for the hearing impaired group were more like those of the control group than those of the visually impaired group. Results show that children with visual impairment had more problems with balance and gait than controls.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. songula@hacettepe.edu.tr
Songül
S
Atasavun Uysal
Zafer
Z
Erden
Türkan
T
Akbayrak
Funda
F
Demirtürk
D000293:Adolescent; D001766:Blindness / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D003463:Cues; D003638:Deafness / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D004856:Postural Balance