Treatment of Balance and Coordination Disorders in the Pediatric Population With the Virtual Reality System Nirvana.

Balance and coordination disorders limit the achievement of autonomy in movement and activities of daily living.

Among the various conditions commonly associated with balance and gait deficits in the pediatric population, neurological diseases represent an important subgroup, as do neurodevelopmental disorders. Children with balance and coordination problems typically have difficulty walking independently and manifest a gait characterized by an enlarged base of support and are generally prone to frequent falls.

Coordination deficits also result in a reduction in the fluidity of functional gestures with a consequent negative impact on quality of life.

Not only that, in the presence of the above-mentioned problems, psycho-motor retardation is also often evident in children, consequently presenting cognitive, relational and learning problems as well.

There are several systems that can be used to treat balance and coordination disorders; in particular, those that use virtual reality systems such as NIRVANA are becoming increasingly popular. This device has been used in subjects with neurological disorders (Stroke, Parkinson's, and Multiple Sclerosis) with good results in both motor and visuocognitive areas. To date there are still few studies of this device in the pediatric setting, although its effectiveness in both autism spectrum disorders and global developmental delays is beginning to be explored.