Abstract
A study was conducted of children complaining of vertigo, dizziness and equilibrium disturbance who were examined at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Gifu University Hospital from January, 1985 to December, 1992.
1. Of the 3, 626 patients who visited our clinic with complaints of vertigo, dizziness and equilibrium disturbances, 98 (2.7%) were under 15 years of age. Their equilibrium and neurological status were evaluated.
2. Of the 98 patients, 26 (26.5%) had labyrinthine disturbances, 17 (17.3%) central nervous system disturbances, 2 (2.0%) both labyrinthine and central nervous system disturbances, and 42 (42.9%) vertigo or dizziness due to systemic diseases. In 11 patients (11.2%), the vertigo and dizziness were of unknown etiology.
3. Among the 26 patients with labyrinthine disturbances, 3 had Meniere's disease, 5 had vertigo with sudden deafness, 4 delayed hydrops and 4 circulatory insufficiency of the labyrinth.
4. Among the 17 patients with central nervous system disturbances, 4 had post-traumatic disorders, and the others had equilibrium disturbance due to brain tumor, hemorrhage, epilepsy, etc.
5. Eleven patients with dizziness of unknown etiology were almost free of symptoms shortly after the examinations, and none of them thereafter showed any abnormality of the central nervous system.
