Description: vestibular disorders in children are more common than previously thought. This session aims to educate the audience about the prevalence, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of vestibular dysfunction in the pediatric population

Outcome Objectives: . This session will offer practical tips and advice in how to recognize vestibular disorders in children, how to diagnose them, and how to treat them most effectively.

Background: over the past decade more attention has been given to children suffering from vestibular and balance problems. Recently, the IPBN (International Pediatric Balance Network) was founded to bring clinicians and scientists worldwide together to optimise care for these patients. The speakers for this session are board members of the IPBN: Leen Maes, professor in audiology at Ghent University (Belgium); Soumit Dasgupta, neurotologist and audiovestibular physician at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (UK) and Josine Widdershoven, pediatric otorhinolaryngologist at Maastricht University Medical Center (the Netherlands).

Pediatric vestibular medicine is a relatively new specialty, but has grown drastically in size and scope over the past couple of decades. Newer testing technologies have made testing feasible at progressively younger ages. Our understanding of the causes of vestibular symptoms in children and the role of vestibular testing in diagnosing them have also progressed significantly, allowing for better standardization and universalization of testing protocols. Vestibular testing may also play vital roles in determining candidacy for new therapies for pediatric hearing loss, such as cochlear implants for single sided deafness and gene therapy for congenital hearing loss. These advances make it essential for anybody caring for children with hearing loss in the modern era to have at least a basic understanding of the current indications, technologies, and approaches to vestibular testing in the pediatric age group. This symposium will be presented on behalf of the recently formed International Pediatric Balance Network (IBPN). It will include lectures and discussion from a group of pediatric vestibular specialists from around the world. Topics will include: 1.) “Remote Camera VHIT and the Advent of Newborn Vestibular Screening Programs”, 2.) “The Role of Vestibular Testing in Evaluating Pediatric Dizziness,” 3.) “Universal Guidelines for Pediatric Vestibular Testing in Congenital Hearing Loss,” and 4.) “New Roles of Vestibular Testing in Children: Single-Sided Deafness, Gene Therapy, and Beyond.” Attendees will learn about modern approaches to vestibular testing in children with and without hearing loss, as well as current and future indications for objective assessment of vestibular function in the pediatric population.