The Seventh Pan-Pacific Conference on Rehabilitation and
2010 Graduate Student Conference on Rehabilitation Sciences

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Abstract Sample

Title: BALANCE FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Authors (last name, Initials, highest degree, one primary affiliation)
Shum BM, MSc, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
Pang MYC, PhD, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.

Background and purpose: Previous studies have revealed that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have significant impairments in various aspects of sensorimotor function. The objectives of this study were: (1) to compare the balance ability of ADHD children with an age/sex matched control group, and (2) to determine which sensory system(s) contribute to balance deficits in children with ADHD.

Methods: A total of 43 children (15 females and 28 males) with ADHD and 46 typically developing control children (17 females and 29 males), matched by age and gender, participated in this study. To assess balance function, each subject underwent the sensory organization test (SOT). The composite equilibrium score, somatosensory ratio, visual ratio, and vestibular ratio were generated. Multivariate of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the variables of interest between the two groups.

Results: The result revealed a significant difference between the ADHD group and the control group in the composite equilibrium score (F1,85=13.302, p<0.001). In addition, the somatosensory ratio (F1,85=4.962, p=0.029), and visual ratio (F1,85=12.208, p=0.001) also showed significant between-group difference.

Conclusion: The results showed that children with ADHD have significant deficits in standing balance performance. The visual and somatosensory systems seem to be more involved in contributing to the balance deficits in this population than the vestibular system.

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