Prevalence of vestibular and balance disorders in children and adolescents according to age: A multi-center study.
Lee JD1, Kim CH2, Hong SM3, Kim SH4, Suh MW5, Kim MB6, Shim DB7, Chu H8, Lee NH9, Kim M10, Hong SK11, Seo JH12.
Author information
•1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, South Korea.
•2Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kunkook University, Seoul, South Korea.
•3Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, South Korea. Electronic address: thecell20@gmail.com.
•4Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
•5Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Seoul University, Seoul, South Korea.
•6Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea.
•7Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Myongji Hospital, Goyang, South Korea.
•8Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hana ENT Hospital, South Korea.
•9Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hana ENT Clinic, Seoul, South Korea.
•10Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Incheon, South Korea.
•11Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, South Korea.
•12Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic University, Bucheon, South Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
Children differ from adults in the expression of dizziness symptoms and the causes of dizziness. In several studies, benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood (BPVC) and vestibular migraine (VM) were seen exclusively in children with vertigo, but the age threshold used to define 'children' varies, and there are few reported studies about adolescents with dizziness. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of vestibular and balance disorders according to age category in a multi-center study (otolaryngology departments of 11 hospitals) of children and adolescents.

METHODS:
Children and adolescents aged under 18 who visited the otolaryngology departments of 11 hospitals for dizziness were included. We classified the patients into three categories: preschool (up to and including 6-year-olds), school age (7- to 12-year-olds), and adolescents (13- to 18-year-olds). These patients were reviewed retrospectively based on their clinical charts.

RESULTS:
In the preschool age group, BPVC was most common, followed by VM. In the school-age group, BPVC and VMs were most common, followed by psychogenic vertigo and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). In adolescents, VM was the most common, and Ménière's disease, cardiogenic vertigo, and BPVC, which are seen primarily in adults, were also seen in some adolescents.

CONCLUSION:
In children and adolescents with dizziness, VM and BPVC were the most common diseases, and prevalence of disease by age showed differing distributions. These findings will help in diagnosing and managing children and adolescents with vertigo.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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