Clinical consensus on vestibular infant screening.
Journal
European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
ISSN
1434-4726
Date Issued
2025-11-23
Author(s)
Yang, Jun
Shen, Jiali
Jin, Yulian
Chen, Jianyong
Zhang, Qing
Lu, Ling
Chen, Xiaowan
Yu, Hong
Xie, Wen
Dai, Qingqing
Fang, Lian
Huang, Yideng
Tong, Busheng
Gao, Xia
Qian, Xiaoyun
Yu, Lisheng
Zhang, Daogong
Fu, Yong
Zhang, Jie
Li, Wenyan
Marques, Pedro
Widdershoven, Josine
van de Berg, Raymond
Pyykkö, Ilmari
Kaga, Kimitaka
Dasgupta, Soumit
Duan, Maoli
Abstract
Purpose: To address the current lack of standardized protocols for vestibular infant screening (VIS), this clinical consensus aims to establish a clinical consensus on VIS in infants aged 0–12 months. Given a frequent co-occurrence of vestibular dysfunction in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and the significant impact of vestibular dysfunction on early development, early identification and management are critical. Methods: This clinical consensus was developed by a panel of 28 international experts in pediatric otolaryngology and vestibular disorders through a structured, multi-round Delphi process. Panelists were selected based on clinical and academic expertise, representing 26 institutions across Asia and Europe. A comprehensive literature review (2000–2024) informed the initial draft of consensus statements. The consensus was reached through three iterative rounds of anonymous rating and feedback, followed by virtual discussions. Statements achieving ≥ 80% agreement were retained in the final consensus, which focused on screening tools, target populations, optimal timing, and standardized cVEMP recording protocols for infants. Results: The expert panel reached consensus on key recommendations in four domains: screening tool, target screening population, timing of vestibular function screening, and recording protocol for cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP). Conclusion: This clinical consensus provides foundational guidance for the implementation of VIS in infants, advocating for standardized protocols to improve early diagnosis and intervention. Widespread adoption of these recommendations may enhance developmental outcomes by enabling timely detection and management of vestibular dysfunction in early childhood.
Subjects
Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials
Infant
Sensorineural hearing loss
Vestibular dysfunction
Vestibular infant screening
Type
review article