Balance and Rehabilitation Center
The Balance and Rehabilitation Center (BRC) at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center will be arriving in August 2008 at the new Cincinnati Children's Liberty Campus. This will be a state-of-the-art center designed to help evaluate and treat children with balance and gait disorders. There will be a specific emphasis on disorders of the pediatric vestibular system.
The vestibular system is made of cues from the inner ear sensory organs, the eyes and the feet. These cues are integrated in the brain. This specific pathway is called the "vestibular system."
If any of the cues are disrupted, you may experience some episodes of imbalance.
Some people are born with or later on acquire a vestibular disorder, that is, a disruption in the system. There are tests designed to measure how the pediatric vestibular system is interpreting cues.
What balance symptoms could my child be referred for?
- Dizziness
- Spinning
- Nausea
- Motor Delays
- Difficulty Walking, Especially in the Dark
- Sensorineural Hearing Loss
- Inner Ear Deformities
- Migraine with Dizziness
- Ototoxicity (from medication)
- Gait Disturbances
- Clumsiness / Gait Disturbances
- Lightheadedness
- Sensory Integration Disorders
- Fear of Open Places or Heights
What tests are available for my child?
Testing will help the doctor decide if parts of the balance system are causing you or your child's dizzy symptoms. Some people may feel slightly unsteady, nauseated and / or dizzy from the tests. This does NOT happen to everyone. In fact, most of people feel fine after the test.
If your child is of driving age, it is necessary to have someone accompany them to the test. It is important to note that no procedure listed below hurts or will harm your child. One or both of the following tests will be performed:
- Videonystagmography (VNG)
- A camera is used to record eye movements. A "scuba mask" type of head gear will be used to hold the camera. Instructions include following lights on a screen and moving into different positions. The final part of the VNG will consist of putting warm and cool water into the ears to stimulate the inner ear; this will not hurt.
- Platform Posturography Test
- This test will involve standing on a platform that measures the natural sway of your child.
- Rotational Testing
- Small children will sit on their parents lap and older children will sit alone on a chair that gently turns. A camera or electrodes will be used to record the eye movements.
Balance and Rehabilitation Center (BRC) Team
- Otologist
- This is a physician who will diagnosis the balance disorder and will appropriately refer for special testing.
- Audiologist
- This is a specialized professional who understands the evaluation of the vestibular system and will perform the balance assessment.
- Physical Therapist
- If a balance disorder is found, this professional may work with your child for improvement of balance and gait disturbances.
Other professionals such as, Neurologists, Occupational Therapists, Oncologists, Psychologists, and Neuro-surgeons may be active in assessing your child's balance.
Referrals
All children suspected of a balance disorder must have a referral from their primary care physician to either of the professionals: Otologist, Audiologist, or Physical Therapist. Please contact us for more information, 513-636-4236.
