Postural deficiency in intellectually disabled adults with vestibular impairment

Although aging increases fall probability, scientists have paid little attention to balance deficiencies in persons who are intellectually disabled (ID) or to the relation between their postural stability and vestibular functions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of vestibular impairment in adults with ID. Twenty-nine adults with ID participated in this study. The procedure consisted of two phases. The first phase was aimed at identifying Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) deficiencies. Phase two was aimed at evaluating postural stability. Following four clinical tests (S/D, HIT, HSN, D&H), nine patients (30%) showed a dysfunctional Vestibular Reflex. During a Computerized Dynamic Posturography test of the above nine subjects, seven subjects (90%) showed a positive test and low functioning of the vestibular system. From these findings, we can infer that VOR screening tests succeed in specifically detecting ID participants with balance impairment.