MOTOR DEVELOPMENT AND POSTURAL CONTROL EVALUATION OF CHILDREN WITH SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS: A REVIEW OF THREE INEXPENSIVE ASSESSMENT TOOLS-PBS, TGMD-2, AND P-CTSIB

Objective Sensorineural hearing loss is believed to be the result of a physiologic malfunction in the inner ear or acoustic nerve. Depending on the rapidity of progression and severity, sensorineural hearing loss can be endlessly annoying, frightening and can constitute a permanent after effect. Moreover, there is no surgical procedure that can reverse or lessen the severity of a sensorineural hearing loss. Furthermore, children with sensorineural hearing loss present with additional disabilities in 30 to 40% of the cases. Children with profound sensorineural hearing loss may exhibit abnormalities of vestibular structures, which may lead to impairment of postural control, locomotion and gait. The development of gross motor functions such as head control, sitting and walking are likely to be delayed in these children. Evaluation of motor skills and balance are the core of the pediatrician and physical therapist’s expertise and practice. Knowledge of the reliable, valid and inexpensive assessment tools for measuring motor skills and balance are necessary to gauge the progression of the disease and the impact of treatment. In this review, we aim to summarize inexpensive tools such as TGMD-2, PBS, and P-CTSIB.