Postural control differences in children who are deaf or hard of hearing: A systematic review and meta-analysis of postural sway outcomes.
Hannah Ray, Maddie Gose, Nikolina Djumic et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined static posturography findings in children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), compared with typically hearing peers. Twenty-five studies met the review criteria, and 12 contributed to the meta-analysis. Pooled results indicated differences between groups in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral sway variability. The authors also found substantial between-study heterogeneity, with limited reporting of task and measurement protocols restricting interpretation of how testing conditions affected the results. The abstract does not report a pooled effect size or other quantitative estimate of the group differences.
Key findings
- The systematic review included 25 studies; 12 were included in the meta-analysis.
- Pooled estimates indicated that anterior-posterior and medial-lateral sway variability differentiated DHH children from typically hearing peers.
- Heterogeneity across tasks was high, and limited protocol reporting constrained comparisons among studies.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that postural control differs between DHH and typically hearing children, while also showing that current posturographic results are difficult to compare across studies. More consistent task design, outcome selection, and reporting could improve interpretation of balance assessments and support investigation of the factors underlying these differences.
What to keep in mind
High between-study heterogeneity and limited reporting of protocol features constrained interpretation of how task difficulty, sensory conditions, and analysis choices influenced outcomes.