The effect of selective training program on the static and dynamic balance of Deaf Children

Background and aims: Although the main problem for children with hearing impairment is linguistic and communication shortcomings, in various studies, the balance impairment is discussed in comparison with normal people. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a course of selected training program on the balance of children with hearing impairment. Subjects & Methods: overall 20 hearing impaired boys from the age of 8 to 14 years old entered the study and were randomly divided into intervention and control groups after a static and dynamic balance test as a pre-test. The intervention group participated in a selected training program, which included10 to 12 training sessions. During  this period, the control group performed their daily activities. In both pretest and posttest stages, Stork Stand Static Test was used to evaluate static balance and to assess dynamic balance and balance performance of individuals, Bruininks â�� Oseretsky test of motor proficiency was used, and the results were compared in two groups. To test the natural distribution of data, Shapiro Wilco test was used and independent t-test and t-correlation with Spss Version 21.0 software were used to test the research hypothesis. Results: The mean age of patients in the control group was 10.9 ± 1.66 years and in the intervention group was 10.2 ± 1.55 years. The test scores in the post test were significantly higher than in the pretest in the control group (9.03 ± 11.03) and in the intervention group (26.66 ± 29), respectively (P = 0.137). The score of the Bruininks â�� Oseretsky test of motor proficiency was decreased 8.65 ± 11.20 units in control group and was increased 94.23 ± 99.13 units in intervention group (P = 0.034). Conclusion: This study showed that a course of selective training program can enhance the dynamic and static balance performance in deaf children. Therefore, it is suggested that these training programs be included in the rehabilitation program for these children.Â