The Study of Head and Neck Alignment in Children with Visual and Hearing Impairments and Its Relation with Anthropometrical Dimensions

purpose: the aim of this study was to compare head and neck alignment in children with visualand hearing impairments and its relation with anthropometrical parameters. methods: the study was a descriptive, correlational analysis within which the relationsbetween dependent and independent variables have been studied. thirty children with poorvision, 30 children with hearing loss and finally 30 healthy ones ranged 6-12 years old wereselected randomly. anteroposterior and mediolateral photographs of the neck were obtained tocheck forward head and torticollis postures. anthropometric parameters (head, neck and thoraxcircumference, neck, shoulder and thorax width, neck length, the distance from tragus to sternalnotch and sitting-height) were measured. statistical analysis of data was performed by 1-wayanova and pearson correlation coefficient. results: the statistical results indicated that forward head angle was less in the visually impairedgroup than the group with hearing loss (p = 0.001) and the healthy group (p = 0.017). the lateralflexion angle was more in the group with hearing loss than the healthy group (p = 0.001). thereis also a positive significant correlation between head circumference (p = 0.025), neck length (p= 0.001), sternal notch-tragus distance (p = 0.003), and sitting-height (p = 0.014) with forwardhead posture. no significant relation was observed between other anthropometrical parameterswith structural profile variable (forward head and torticollis). conclusion: the results of this study indicate that visual and hearing impairments can affect thehead and neck alignment of children and this alignment has a significant relation with some ofthe anthropometrical dimensions. therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to treatmentexercises in order to correct and improve body posture and changed anthropometrical dimensionsin children with visual and hearing impairments.