ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Are balance problems connected to reading speed or the familial risk of dyslexia?

  1. HELENA VIHOLAINEN1,
  2. MIKKO ARO1,
  3. TIMO AHONEN2,
  4. SUSAN CRAWFORD3,
  5. MARJA CANTELL3,
  6. LIBBE KOOISTRA3

Article first published online: 14 MAR 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2010.03856.x

Issue

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology

Volume 53, Issue 4, pages 350–353, April 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

VIHOLAINEN, H., ARO, M., AHONEN, T., CRAWFORD, S., CANTELL, M. and KOOISTRA, L. (2011), Are balance problems connected to reading speed or the familial risk of dyslexia?. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 53: 350–353. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2010.03856.x

Author Information

  1. 1

     Department of Education, Special Education, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

  2. 2

     Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

  3. 3

     Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, Canada.

*Dr Helena Viholainen at PO Box 35, FIN-40014, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. E-mail: helena.viholainen@nmi.fi

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 MAR 2011
  2. Article first published online: 14 MAR 2011
  3. PUBLICATION DATA Accepted for publication 19th October 2010.

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Aim  The aim of this study was to examine the connection between balance problems and reading speed in children with and without a familial risk of dyslexia by controlling for the effects of attention, hyperactivity, and cognitive and motor functioning.

Method  The prevalence of balance problems was studied in 94 children (48 females, 46 males) with a familial risk of dyslexia (at-risk group) and 85 children (38 females, 47 males) without a risk of dyslexia (comparison group). Further, the relationships between balance problems (at age 8y 6mo), reading proficiency (at age 9y), attention-deficit–hyperactivity disorder (at age 8y), and cognitive (at age 8y 6mo) and motor functioning (at age 6y 6mo) were examined. Inclusion criteria for the at-risk group were that at least one parent had a confirmed reading problem and one or more of the parents’ close relatives also had a reading problem. The Good Balance System was used to assess static standing balance, word-list and text reading tasks were used to measure reading proficiency. The Behavioural Assessment System for Children – Parent Rating Scale was used to assess attention-deficit–hyperactivity disorder, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children was used to assess cognitive functioning, and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children was used to measure motor functioning.

Results  Balance (F(1,177)=4.82; p=0.029; inline image=0.027) and reading (F(1,176)=11.95; p=0.001; inline image=0.064) problems were more common in the at-risk group than in the comparison group. Furthermore, attention, hyperactivity, IQ, and motor functioning were not related to balance problems. However, attention (F(1,154)=10.80; p=0.001; inline image=0.066) and IQ (F(1,170)=22.08; p<0.001; inline image=0.115) were individually connected to reading speed.

Interpretation  Balance problems alone could not produce any differences in reading skills. Instead, both balance problems and reduced reading skills were mainly associated separately with a familial risk of dyslexia. This indicates that there may be a shared genetic mechanism between balance and reading problems.

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