ÌÇÐÄVlog

The Balance and Vestibular Disorders (BVD) Lab, under the direction ofÌý, works with the Gait Analysis, Auditory Physiology and Psychoacoustics, and other labs to analyze and research a variety of issues related to balance and vestibular disorders in children. These include otitis media, Chiari type 1 malformations, pediatric migraine and others.

The lab is part of the Center for Pediatric Auditory and Speech Services (CPASS) at ¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾«Æ· Children’s Hospital, Delaware.

Gait Analysis and Vestibular Function

We’re working on a project to analyze gait and vestibular function in a prospectively constructed clinical database of patients with balance and vestibular disorders analyzed by the multidisciplinary Pediatric Balance Disorders Program at ¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾«Æ· Children’s Hospital, Delaware. The project compares subjective measures of gross motor development and dynamic balance (gait) through the straight-line walking test.

Balance and Otitis Media

A multisite study of the vestibular effects of myringotomy with tube placement on the balance function of children with serous otitis media is also currently underway. This ¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾Ã¾«Æ· Children's-funded protocol is shared with the clinical lab in Jacksonville, Fla.

Balance and Chiari Type 1 Malformation

Additionally, in collaboration with Dr. Thierry Morlet, researchers are studying subjective and objective balance disorders in children with Chiari type I malformation. This study is designed to establish the level of subjective balance complaints and objective balance problems in pediatric patients with a specific type of brain malformation.