[Comparison of postural control between normal and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder boys].

OBJECTIVE

To examine postural control between normal and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) boys, and compare the development characters.

METHODS

In the study, 146 ADHD boys and 84 normal boys participated, ages being between 7 and 12 years. Balance Master was used to assess posture control. Posture stabilities were tested under 4 different conditions (firm surface with eyes open, firm surface with eyes closed, foam pad with eyes open, foam pad with eyes closed). We tested three times for one condition, 20 s per time. The mean sway velocity was recorded.

RESULTS

(1) Normal boys: In firm surface with eyes open, analyses of variance between normal boys revealed no significant differences between different age groups, and the 11- and 12-year-old group did not achieve scores comparable to the adult (t=6.145, P<0.001). In firm surface with eyes closed and, foam pad with eyes open analyses revealed significant differences between the 7- and 8-year-old and 9- and 10-year-old groups[firm surface with eyes closed, 7- and 8-year-old (0.65+/-0.35) degrees/s, 9- and 10-year-old (0.45+/-0.19) degrees/s, P<0.05; foam pad with eyes open, 7- and 8-year-old (0.98+/-0.38) degrees/s, 9- and 10-year-old (0.80+/-0.25) degrees/s, P<0.05] and the 11- and 12-year-old group did not achieve scores comparable to the adult (t=5.059, 6.206, P<0.001). In foam pad with eyes closed, analyses revealed significant differences between 7- and 8-year-old and 9- and 10-year-old groups [7- and 8-year-old (1.65+/-0.58) degrees /s,9- and 10-year-old (1.34+/-0.42) degrees/s, P<0.05], the 11- and 12-year-old group achieving scores comparable to the adult. (2) ADHD boys: Analyses of variance between ADHD boys, under the four different conditions, revealed significant differences between 7- and 8-year-old and 9- and 10-year-old [firm surface with eyes open, 7- and 8-year-old (0.81+/-0.31) degrees/s, 9- and 10-year-old (0.63+/-0.28) degrees/s, P<0.01; firm surface with eyes close, 7- and 8-year-old (0.91+/-0.46) degrees/s, 9- and 10-year-old (0.70+/-0.49) degrees/s, P<0.05; foam pad with eyes open, 7- and 8-year-old (1.31+/-0.56) degrees/s, 9- and 10-year-old (1.10+/-0.43) degrees/s, P<0.05; foam pad with eyes close, 7- and 8-year-old (2.19+/-0.88) degrees/s, 9- and 10-year-old (1.85+/-0.78) degrees/s, P<0.05], and also significant differences between 9- and 10-year-old and 11- and 12-year-old groups[firm surface with eyes open, 9- and 10-year-old (0.63+/-0.28) degrees/s,11- and 12-year-old (0.46+/-0.21) degrees/s, P<0.01; firm surface with eyes close, 9- and 10-year-old (0.70+/-0.49) degrees/s, 11- and 12-year-old (0.47+/-0.31) degrees/s, P<0.01; foam pad with eyes open, 9- and 10-year-old (1.10+/-0.43) degrees/s, 11- and 12-year-old (0.83+/-0.27) degrees/s, P<0.001; foam pad with eyes close, 9- and 10-year-old (1.85+/-0.78) degrees/s, 11- and 12-year-old (1.44+/-0.56) degrees/s, P<0.01]. (3) Comparison of postural control between normal and ADHD boys: In firm surface with eyes open, analyses revealed the 7- and 8-year-old group swayed higher in ADHD group than in normal control(t=2.700, P<0.05), in the other three conditions there was a significant tendency. In the four conditions, the 9- and 10-year-old group swayed higher in ADHD group than in normal control (t=2.968,2.982, 3.851,3.629, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that children do not demonstrate adult-like use of sensory information at the ages of 11 and 12 years. ADHD boys have a lower posture control ability than normal boys.