title: Objective vestibular testing of children with dizziness and balance complaints following sports-related concussions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct objective assessment of children with balance and vestibular complaints following sports-related concussions and identify the underlying deficits by analyzing laboratory test outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series with chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric tertiary care facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were reviewed of 42 pediatric patients with balance and/or vestibular complaints following sports-related concussions who underwent comprehensive laboratory testing on their balance and vestibular function. Patients' characteristics were summarized and results analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 90% of the children with protracted dizziness or imbalance following sports-related concussion had at least 1 abnormal finding from the comprehensive balance and vestibular evaluation. The most frequent deficit was found in dynamic visual acuity test, followed by Sensory Organization Test and rotational test. Patient's balance problem associated with concussion seemed to be primarily instigated by vestibular dysfunction. Furthermore, semicircular canal dysfunction was involved more often than dysfunction of otolith organs. Yet, <10% of the children experienced a hearing loss following sports-related concussion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vestibular impairment is common among children with protracted dizziness or imbalance following sports-related concussion. Our study demonstrated that proper and thorough evaluation is imperative to identify these underlying deficits and laboratory tests were helpful in the diagnosis and recommendation of following rehabilitations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement, Boston Children's Hospital, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA guangwei.zhou@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Guangwei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement, Boston Children's Hospital, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Brodsky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013177:Sports; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: dizziness; imbalance; sports-related concussions; vertigo; vestibular function