Congratulations to CPIN Faculty Dr. Karen Gordon and CPIN Trainee Melissa Hazen on their recent publication

Congratulations to CPIN Faculty Dr. Karen Gordon (Professor, IMS, right) and CPIN Trainee Melissa Hazen (PhD Candidate, IMS, left) on their recent publication titled, “Assessment of Balance Deficits in At-Risk Pediatric Populations" in Ear & Hearing. 

The vestibular organ is often regarded as the body’s “balance organ,” working together with vision and proprioception to maintain postural control. Their study of more than 300 children from the SickKids Vertigo and Cochlear Implant Clinics shows that hearing must also be considered as part of this system. Children with hearing loss, especially those with syndromic or infectious causes, were much more likely to show balance difficulties, which were worsened by vestibular dysfunction. Impairments of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) further increased this risk. Importantly, some children demonstrated poor balance even with normal vestibular test results, suggesting that reduced auditory input and other non-vestibular factors also contribute. These findings highlight the need for routine vestibular and balance screening in children with hearing loss or dizziness to enable early identification and targeted interventions that support motor development, everyday participation, and long-term quality of life.

Read more about the publication here.