The Measurement of Vestibular-based Functions in Pre-School Children

Abstract

A 21-item test entitled Assessment of Sensorimotor Integration in Pre-School Children (1) was developed to measure vestibular-based functions in pre-school children. It focuses on postural control, reflex integration, and bilateral motor integration. Data were gathered on 113 normal and 23 developmentally delayed children from three to five years of age. The psychometric quality of the test was investigated in terms of domain validity, discriminant validity, and interobserver reliability. It was found that 1. the items validly measure the domain of vestibular-based functions, 2. the six component subtests provide strong discriminative power and a high degree of accuracy for classifying children as normal and delayed, and 3. the test could be administered with a high degree of objectivity by therapists with little or no experience in sensory integrative testing. These findings should be regarded as tentative until cross-validation studies and research on construct validity and decision-making reliability have been conducted.

The association between learning disorders, motor function, and primitive reflexes in pre-school children: A systematic review

“…Much research supports a correlation between motor dysfunction and attention deficits (Brossard-Racine et al, 2011; Kadesjo and Gillberg, 1998; Kaplan et al, 1998) with about half of children with ADHD meeting criteria for DCD and vice versa (Kadesjo and Gillberg, 1998). Research in older children has shown ATNR retention to be predictive of academic achievement (Jordan-Black, 2005; McPhillips and Jordan-Black, 2006), motor score (DeGangi et al, 1980) and ADHD (Konicarova and Bob, 2013). Whilst the ATNR was one of three primitive reflexes measured by two review studies (Gieysztor et al, 2018; Pecuch et al, 2021), both papers limited reflex comparison to total motor scores, with Gieysztor et al (2018) further limiting comparisons to total reflex score, preventing extrapolation of specific reflex retention relationships to specific motor functions.…”

“…Traditionally, primitive reflex assessment is readily utilized to identify neurological pathology in the infant (Jordan-Black, 2005). However, employment of modified position testing in older age groups has shown persisting reflexes to be associated with reading difficulties and dyslexia (McPhillips and Jordan-Black, 2006), speech-language disorders (Adamovic et al, 2014), ADHD (Konicarova and Bob, 2013), and motor deficiency (DeGangi et al, 1980; Freides et al, 1980).…”

“…The ATNR is described as the most widely researched reflex in therapeutic literature (Gallahue and Ozmun, 2006). Despite other reflexes being investigated, many studies have reported results as a total reflex score, thus impeding identification of specific reflex impact (DeGangi et al, 1980; Freides et al, 1980; Niklasson et al, 2017). Whilst primitive reflexes have been found in association with individual motor deficits and learning difficulties, viewing the relationship between all three phenomena may provide insight into what common factors underlie these co-occurring disorders.…”

Current Concepts of the Vestibular System Reviewed: 2. Visual/Vestibular Interaction and Spatial Orientation

“…The rehabilitation literature often refers to observations of conjugate eye movements as measures of the integrity of the vestibular system (e.g., DeGangi, Berk, & Larsen, 1980;Weeks, 1979). Conjugate eye movements are those in which both eyes move in parallel fashion.…”

Normal and Pathological Maturation of Vestibular Function in the Human Child11This research was supported in part by National Eye Institute Grant No. EY-02612.

“…Rapin (1974) reviewed the clinical records of 353 children under 10 years of age who had been tested with caloric stimulation and the torsion swing under blindfolded conditions. DeGangi et al (1980) studied 23 3-5-year-old children with delays in the acquisition of gross and fine motor skills and, to a lesser extent, language. Ten of these 22 children did not walk until 18 months of age or later, with some not walking until 48 months of age.…”