Vertigo (ver·ti·go), or dizziness, happens when there is a problem in your child’s brain or inner ear that affects their balance.
Overview
What is pediatric vertigo (dizziness)?
Vertigo is a condition that causes your child to feel dizzy. Vertigo is more common in adults, but can happen to children. Your child may feel like they are spinning even when they stand still, or they may feel as if the world around them is spinning.
Vertigo happens when there is a problem in the brain or inner ear that affects your child’s balance. Usually, vertigo is a side effect of another minor condition, such as sinus congestion from a cold.
However, vertigo could indicate a more serious problem, so it’s important to have your child examined.
Signs and Symptoms
What are the signs and symptoms of pediatric vertigo (dizziness)?
Abnormal eye movements (called nystagmus)
Clumsiness
Confusion
Delayed or lost motor skills
Difficulty walking straight
Dizziness
Motion sickness when the child is not in motion
Poor balance
Tinnitus (ringing in ears)
Causes
What are the causes of pediatric vertigo (dizziness)?
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) (sudden sensation of spinning)
Bone or particle floating in the inner ear fluid
Concussion or head injury
Eye movement disorder
Hypotension (low blood pressure)
Injury to the ear