Development of postural control and maturation of sensory systems in children of different ages a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the stability, postural adjustments and contributions of sensory information for postural control in children.

METHODS: 40 boys and 40 girls were equally divided into groups of 5, 7, 9 and 12 years (G5, G7, G9 and G12). All children were submitted to dynamic posturography using a modified sensory organization test, using four sensory conditions: combining stable or sway referencing platform with eyes opened, or closed. The area and displacements of the center of pressure were used to determine stability, while the adjustments were used to measure the speed of the center of pressure displacements. These measurements were compared between groups and test conditions.

RESULTS: Stability tends to increase with age and to decrease with sensory manipulation with significant differences between G5 and G7 in different measures. G7 differed from G12 under the conditions of stable and sway platform with eyes open. G9 did not differ from G12. Similar behavior was observed for adjustments, especially in anterior-posterior directions.

CONCLUSION: Postural stability and adjustments were associated with age and were influenced by sensory manipulation. The ability to perform anterior-posterior adjustments was more evident and sensory maturation occurred firstly on the visual system, then proprioceptive system, and finally, the vestibular system, reaching functional maturity at nine years of age. Seven-year-olds seem to go through a period of differentiated singularity in postural control.