The effect of exercise programe on balance, gait and quality of life in children with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss

SUMMARYTHE EFFECT OF EXERCISE PROGRAME ON BALANCE, GAIT AND QUALITYOF LIFE IN CHILDREN WITH BILATERAL SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSSPhysical Therapist Cemile DOĞANObjectives: The purpose of our study is to examine relation between gait and balance skills,and quality of life in children between the ages of 5 and 15 who have severity level bilateralsensorineural hearig loss (SNHL); and to evaluate the effects of exercise program on thisoutcomes.Meterials and Method: 26 children between the ages of 5 and 15 who have severely SNHL,and attended the Besmer Hearing Speech and Voice Disorders Diagnosis and RehabilitationCenter between October 2005- January 2006 were included to this study. The children wererandomly assigned to two grups exercise and control. Vestibuler rehabilitation exercisesconsisted of visual motor training, balance training, activities that enhancement of visual andsomatosensory functions were applied three times weekly for 12 weeks. At this time, thechildren in both exercise and control groups continued audiological education in Besmer.Subjects were evaluated, with looking balance,gait skills and quality of life, two times atinital and final part of the study. Balance skills were assessed using the Pediatric BalanceScale (PDS); gait skills were assessed using the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA); qualityof life was assessed using the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUIM3).Results: In the exercise group, PDS and FYD scores significantly improved after the exerciseprogram (p<0.05), but didn?t seen significant difference at HUIM3 scores (p>0.05). Pre andpost treatment powerful and significant correlation between PDS and FYD scores was foundon both exercise and control groups; correlation between HUIM3 and PDS, FYD scoreswasn?t determined.Conclusion: In children with sensorineural hearing loss, significant relation was foundbetween gait and balance skills, although significant relation between gait and balance skillsand qualiy of life was not determined. It was concluded that exercise programe causedimprovement of gait and balance skills, althought no effect on quality of life on the children inthis group.Key Words : Sensorineural hearing loss, balance, gait, quality of life, vestibular rehabilitation