Postural Evaluation of Vertebral Column in Children and Teenagers with Hearing Loss

Abstract

Introduction:Posture is determined by the performance of the visual, somatosensory and vestibular systems. Children with hearing loss can present problems in their posture or postural control, enabling postural deviations and alterations to appear in their vertebral column, possibly provoked by a hypoactivity of the vestibular system as a result of deafness. Objective:To evaluate the posture of the vertebral column in children and teenagers with hearing loss at school age, taking into consideration the sample gender and age. Method:A descriptive and prospective study was performed at both Duque de Caxias School and Rotary Rehabilitation and Special Education Center in Caruaru -Pernambuco. 44 students aged between 7-17 years old, out of whom 22 were female and 22 were male, with hearing loss were evaluated. The study was developed by way of a postural evaluation, using a symmetrograph, marking specific anatomical points with stickers placed over polystyrene balls and fixed with double-sided adhesive tape. Results:The results showed that all of the individuals evaluated in this study presented some kind of postural alteration in their vertebral column. Scoliosis was the most observed alteration among the students (84.1%), followed by thoracic hyperkyphosis (68.2%). Conclusion:It has been concluded that children and teenagers with hearing loss are exposed to postural alteration in their vertebral column. Such a condition can be associated with a number of factors comprising unfavorable ergonomics of the school environment, bad postural habits and impairment of the vestibular system by virtue of the hearing loss.

Static and dynamic balance of children and adolescents with sensorineural hearing loss

“…In view of the above, children with sensorineural hearing loss appear to present alterations in sensory information provided by the vestibular system, possibly due to internal ear injury. ( 13 ) This condition may favor body balance changes in this population. In spite of these evidences, there are scarce data in the literature on balance in children with sensorineural hearing loss compared to normal-hearing children, particularly in relation to reporting the dynamic balance performance, which justifies the present study.…”

Balance Control in Individuals with Hearing Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Hearing loss has been associated with the decline of labyrinthine function and as a result may contribute to postural instability [Santos et al, 2015]. Based on this association, previous research has examined the balance control of individuals with hearing impairment (HI) and has shown that individuals with HI have deficits in balance control while demonstrating higher levels of instability in balance control when compared to individuals with hearing [Long, 1932;Boyd, 1967;De Kegel et al, 2011;Derlich et al, 2011;de Souza Melo et al, 2011;Hartman et al, 2011;Jafari et al, 2011;de Sousa et al, 2012].…”

Head Position Comparison between Students with Normal Hearing and Students with Sensorineural Hearing Loss

“…Given the above, children with sensorineural hearing loss appear have vestibular deficits concomitant with sensorineural hearing loss as a result of injury to the inner ear, 10 and this can change the sense of the position of the head of the children, making them more susceptible to the changes in head posture compared with normally hearing students, justifying the completion of this study, which analyzed the alignment of the head of normally hearing students with sensorineural hearing loss and compared the distribution of changes in head posture between groups, considering genders and age groups in the sample and also the degree of hearing loss in the group of children with hearing loss.…”