Vertigo in Children; Differential Diagnosis

Although vertigo is a rare complaint in children, it is an important problem for both the patient and the family because of the anxiety that it creates. Difficulty of expression in children leads to serious problems in the diagnosis and treatment of vertigo. A detailed anamnesis and physical examination is still the most effective method of diagnosis in children with vertigo. Benign paroxysmal vertigo, migraine and head trauma are the most common causes of a vertigo complaint. Other common reasons are vestibular neuronitis, meningitis, benign positional paroxysmal vertigo, psychogenic, otitis media, central nervous system pathologies and orthostatic hypotension. One of the most important problems in children with vertigo is the effect on cognitive and motor development, and these children should be evaluated together with the pediatrician, neurologist, ophthalmologist and, if necessary, orthopedist and physiotherapist.