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Feasibility of the clinical dynamic visual acuity test in typically developing preschoolers

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Abstract

Objectives

To determine the feasibility of the dynamic visual acuity test (DVA) in children who are preschoolers.

Methods

Thirty-three preschoolers [3 years old (n = 11), 4 years old (n = 6), 5 years old (n = 8), and 6 years old (n = 8)], performed a static visual acuity test (SVA), a passive horizontal DVA (hDVA) at 1 and 2 Hz, and a DVA on treadmill at three age-specific walking speeds (slow/medium/high). The DVA scores, the difference between SVA and hDVA, were used to determine false positive results.

Results

The SVA was performed by 31/33 children, the hDVA and DVA on treadmill at slow and medium speed by 27/33 and the DVA on treadmill at high speed by 25/33. Except for one 5 years old, all drop-outs were 3 years old. The hDVA at 2 Hz was administered in only six children because of difficulties with focusing on reading the symbols at this frequency. False positive results for the hDVA at 1 Hz were found in 3/27 children, all 3 years old, and 2/6 for the hDVA at 2 Hz.

Conclusions

The DVA on treadmill seems useful for preschoolers from age 5, but this should be further investigated in children with underlying pathologies.

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Acknowledgements

All authors contributed to the design of the study, test administration, and data-analysis. We would like to thank Carlien Ameloot, Ellen Declercq, Lize Meyers, Anja Simons, and Sofie Thijs for their help during data collection. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Evi Verbecque, Niels De Belder, Tessa Marijnissen, Luc Vereeck & Ann Hallemans

  2. Multidisciplinary Motor Centre Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Paul Van de Heyning & Ann Hallemans

  3. Department of Otorhinolargynology and Neck and Head surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Paul Van de Heyning

  4. Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Evi Verbecque, Luc Vereeck, Paul Van de Heyning & Ann Hallemans

Authors
  1. Evi Verbecque
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  2. Niels De Belder
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  3. Tessa Marijnissen
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  4. Luc Vereeck
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  5. Paul Van de Heyning
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  6. Ann Hallemans
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Evi Verbecque.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Verbecque, E., De Belder, N., Marijnissen, T. et al. Feasibility of the clinical dynamic visual acuity test in typically developing preschoolers. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 275, 1343–1348 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-018-4919-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-018-4919-2

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