乳幼児の平衡機能検査

Vestibular function tests in infant

胎児期または新生児期に平衡のシステムがすでに作動していると考えられる．生後の外刺激により平衡システムは成熟し，年齢的な変化が生じる．視覚と平衡覚との相互作用も年齢による変化が認められる．滑動性追跡眼球運動のような眼球運動負荷は10歳代まで発達する．小児の前庭機能の評価には，小児科医が行う姿勢反射を用いることが一般的である．今回，乳幼児の平衡機能発達と平衡機能検査について述べ，代表的な疾患について記す．

Although early maturation and functional maturity are unquestioned, the response of the vestibular system to external stimuli varies with age.　It also seems likely that visual-vestibular interaction changes with age and it is known that ocular motor tasks such as smooth pursuit are not fully developed until the teens.　Assessment of vestibular function in children is traditionally performed by the pediatrician using a well-documented series of postural reflexes.　This paper describes the maturation of the vestibular system in infants and gives a neuro-otological evaluation for it.