Unraveling the etiology of pediatric vertigo and dizziness : a tertiary pediatric center experience

Božanić Urbančič, Nina (author), Vozel, Domen (author), Urbančič, Jure (author), Battelino, Saba (author)

Background and Objectives: Numerous authors have reported that the commonest type of vertigo in children is migraine-associated vertigo (vestibular migraine and benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood—BPV). We aimed to provide the possible etiological background of vertigo and dizziness in Slovenian children. Materials and Methods: A retrospective case series of pediatric vertigo and dizziness children referred to the tertiary pediatric otorhinolaryngology center from 2015 to 2020. Children received a complete audiological and vestibular workup and were referred to pediatric specialists depending on the clinical presentation. Results: Of 257 children (42% male, 58% female) aged 1–17 years (M = 10.9, SD = 4.3 years) in 19.1% vertigo and dizziness were classified as central, in 12.4% as a peripheral vestibular, in 10.9% as a hemodynamic, in 5.8% as a psychological and none as visual by pediatric neurologists, otorhinolaryngologists, cardiologists, psychologists or ophthalmologists, respectively. 40.8% (20) children with central vertigo had BPV (7.8% of all children) and 8.2% (4) migrainous vertigo. In 43.6% (112 children), the etiology remained unclassified. Conclusions: After a thorough multidisciplinary workup, the etiology of vertigo and dizziness was unraveled in the majority of children referred to our tertiary otorhinolaryngology center. The most common cause was central; however, in a considerable number, the etiology remained unclassified. The latter could be attributed to the self-limiting nature of vertigo spells. Hence, a child presenting with dizziness and vertigo requires a multidisciplinary approach, in which referral to a neurologist is, in most cases, essential.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Lyme neuroborreliosis, adolescent, child, dizziness, vertigo, migraine disorders, interdisciplinary communication, headache, medulloblastoma, somatoform disorders
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 57, iss. 5, art. 475
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135515
• UDC: 616.9
• ISSN on article: 1648-9144
• DOI: 10.3390/medicina57050475
• COBISS.SI-ID: 66163715
• Publication date in RUL: 17.03.2022

BOŽANIĆ URBANČIČ, Nina, VOZEL, Domen, URBANČIČ, Jure and BATTELINO, Saba, 2021, Unraveling the etiology of pediatric vertigo and dizziness : a tertiary pediatric center experience. Medicina [online]. 2021. Vol. 57, no. 5,  475. [Accessed 11 April 2025]. DOI 10.3390/medicina57050475. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=135515

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Medicina
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1648-9144
• COBISS.SI-ID: 6754623

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 11.05.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: lymska nevroborelioza, mladostnik, otrok

Projects

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: University Medical Centre Ljubljana
• Project number: 20200036

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P3-0374
• Name: Preiskovanje orofacialnega področja za izboljšanje oralnega zdravja