en Audiology Audiology Original Research Original Research <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>Background: </strong>The incomplete maturation of brain in preterm children results in long-term neurodevelopmental impairment. This study aimed to investigate the static balance function in children with a history of preterm birth.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>Methods</strong>: Participants were 31 preterm children including 21 moderately preterm (MPT), 10 very preterm (VPT), and 20 term children aged 5.5 and 6.5 years. The cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) test and four static balance subscales of BOT-2 were performed.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>Results</strong>: The VPT children showed a significant increase in P1 and N1 wave latencies in cVEMP test compared to those in the term children (p= 0.041). Mean scores in the four static balance subscales of BOT-2 were significantly lower in the preterm children compared to those in the term children (p= 0.025). The P1 wave latency (p= 0.003) and mean score of standing on a balance beam with open eyes (p= 0.039) were significantly lower in the VPT children compared to those in the MPT children. A significant correlation was observed between the mean score in exercise 4 (standing on one leg on a balance beam with closed eyes) of static balance subscales of BOT-2 and P1 (r= -0.267, p= 0.036) and N1 (r= -0.304, p= 0.016) wave latencies of cVEMP.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>Conclusion</strong>: The longer latency of cVEMP waves along with a poor performance of children with a history of preterm birth suggests a possible defect in central vestibular pathway.</p> Preterm Birth, Static Balance, Preschool Children, Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials. 1278 1286 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-940&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Zahra Eshaghi z_eshaghi@razi.tums.ac.ir 200319475328460020224 200319475328460020224 No Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, & Rehabilitation Research Center (RRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Zahra Jafari jafari.z@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460020225 200319475328460020225 Yes Neuroscientist, Rehabilitation Research Center (RRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, & Department of Basic Sciences in Rehabilitation, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Shohreh Jalaie Jalaiesh@sina.tums.ac.ir 200319475328460020226 200319475328460020226 No Statistician, Department of Biostatistics, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.