Fifteen-minute consultation: The dizzy child

Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed. 2023 Feb;108(1):10-16. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320569. Epub 2021 Oct 7.

Abstract

Vestibular disorders are often overlooked in children and may cause significant morbidity. About a third of children presenting with problems in balance show a vestibular pathology and the overall prevalence of paediatric vertigo is about 5%. Appropriate diagnosis and holistic management can have a significantly positive impact on a child's quality of life and can be very rewarding. We present a structured approach to the assessment and management of a child presenting with dizziness in a general, non-neurological specialty or community paediatric outpatient setting.

Keywords: audiology; neurology.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Dizziness* / diagnosis
  • Dizziness* / etiology
  • Dizziness* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Quality of Life
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Vertigo / diagnosis
  • Vertigo / etiology
  • Vertigo / therapy
  • Vestibular Diseases* / complications
  • Vestibular Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Vestibular Diseases* / epidemiology