Clinical consensus on vestibular infant screening

Abstract

Purpose: To address the current lack of standardized protocols for vestibular infant screening (VIS), this clinical consensus aims to establish a clinical consensus on VIS in infants aged 0–12 months. Given a frequent co-occurrence of vestibular dysfunction in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and the significant impact of vestibular dysfunction on early development, early identification and management are critical. Methods: This clinical consensus was developed by a panel of 28 international experts in pediatric otolaryngology and vestibular disorders through a structured, multi-round Delphi process. Panelists were selected based on clinical and academic expertise, representing 26 institutions across Asia and Europe. A comprehensive literature review (2000–2024) informed the initial draft of consensus statements. The consensus was reached through three iterative rounds of anonymous rating and feedback, followed by virtual discussions. Statements achieving ≥ 80% agreement were retained in the final consensus, which focused on screening tools, target populations, optimal timing, and standardized cVEMP recording protocols for infants. Results: The expert panel reached consensus on key recommendations in four domains: screening tool, target screening population, timing of vestibular function screening, and recording protocol for cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP). Conclusion: This clinical consensus provides foundational guidance for the implementation of VIS in infants, advocating for standardized protocols to improve early diagnosis and intervention. Widespread adoption of these recommendations may enhance developmental outcomes by enabling timely detection and management of vestibular dysfunction in early childhood.