Childhood vestibular disorders are extremely rare; in a survey done in 2005, out of an estimated 16,000 children seen at a hospital, only 119 of their chief complaints was of vertigo. Of these 119 children though, “benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood, migraine-associated dizziness, vestibular neuronitis, and otitis media-related dizziness” were the reasons behind the vertigo.
This article discusses otitis-media related vertigo (vertigo resulting from the inflammation of the inner ear) and vestibular neuritis (imbalance due to the inflammation of vestibular nerve), which are also prevalent in adults. This article also discusses two childhood balance disorders that are unique to children: benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood and benign paroxysmal torticollis of infancy.
http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/Editorial/Content/Editorial.aspx?CC=196799
For more information on BPV:
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/v/vertigo_benign_paroxysmal_in_childhood/intro.htm
For more information on BPVI:
Posted by Larry on July 6, 2009 at 8:54 pm
We have had several kids and parents alike come through our care programs and have great results. Why do you think that we don’t notice dizziness in children? I think it may be they are not quite sure how to articulate what they are feeling or are embarassed…just a thought. Thanks for your work
Posted by macromedia on July 7, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Nice!
Posted by balancechicago on July 7, 2009 at 5:45 pm
We haven’t seen too many kids with dizziness. Unsure if it is less prevalent or just that kids aren’t articulating their symptoms. Out focus is primarily adult population though.
People tend to have motion intolerance or sensitivity throughout life; however, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it manifests in dizziness. If a person has chronic ear infections as a child, later in life they can “spontaneously decompensate” with resulting dizziness. We are unsure of the mechanism of this phenomenon. It is completely fixable though.