ABSTRACT

This study investigated the development of equilibrium reactions in 12 normal children, 7 through 8 years of age, 3 children aged 7 through 8 with learning disability and 14 children aged 9through 12 also with learning disabilith.Equilibrium reactions among normal children and children with learning disabilith between the ages of 7 to 8 were compared; and children aged 7 - 8 with learning disability and those aged 9-12, also with learning disabilith were compared. To evaluate equilibrium reactions, a TBT(tilt board tip)and a FBR(flat board reach) were used. We measured the duration of posture maintained on the TBT and the frequency of body sway on the FBR. There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups; normal, children with learning disability(7 to 8 years), children with learning disability(9 to 12 years), on TBT time. But when comparing body sway from FBR, the group frequencies were in ascending order : normal children, learning disability children 9 to 12 years, and learning disability children 7 to 8 years. The study suggests that children with learning disability have weaker equilibrium responses than normal children of the same age group, but that equilibrium response strength does increase in childrenn with learning disability with age.