Peer-reviewed article
Sensory Processing Differences in Children With Idiopathic Toe Walking: A Scoping Review and Exploratory Meta-Analysis.
Chu VWT, Rolin OY, Girolami GL, Grant-Beuttler M ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed scoping review and meta-analysis examines sensory processing differences in children with idiopathic toe walking (ITW), a condition of unclear cause. The authors reviewed 13 published studies exploring various sensory systems including vibration perception, touch, proprioception, and vestibular function. While parent-report surveys showed significant sensory processing differences between children with ITW and typical controls, a meta-analysis of vibration perception studies did not reach statistical significance. The findings suggest children with ITW have multiple sensory impairments but represent a heterogeneous group.
Key points
- 13 published articles examined sensory processing in children with idiopathic toe walking
- Studies explored vibration perception, light touch, proprioception, vestibular function, and visual processing
- Meta-analysis of vibration perception threshold across six studies was not statistically significant (p = .12)
- Parent-report sensory processing survey data showed significant differences between ITW and control groups (p < .0068)
- Children with ITW represent a diverse group with significant variability in which sensory systems are impaired
Limitations
This is a review of existing literature rather than a primary empirical study, so it cannot provide new data on the causes or prevalence of ITW. The heterogeneity in study populations, methods, and outcome measures limits the strength of conclusions that can be drawn.
Abstract
ImportanceThe cause of idiopathic toe walking (ITW) remains unclear, though impaired sensory processing has often been hypothesized to be linked to ITW.ObjectivesThe objective of this article is to review the literature on toe-walking to identify how sensory processing contributes to ITW.Data SourcesFour databases (CINAHL, Pubmed, PsychINFO, and SCOPUS) were searched for papers related to sensory processing and ITW published prior to July 2024. References of retrieved papers were reviewed for additional sources.Study Selection and Data CollectionThe PRISMA guidelines for scoping review were used to abstract the data following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Inclusion criteria were examined and papers included at least one sensory system related to ITW was studied. Papers were excluded if toe walking was due to diagnosed neurological, orthopedic, or genetic conditions.FindingsOur scoping review identified 13 published articles relevant to examining sensory processing in children with ITW. Studies explored differences in vibration perception, light touch, proprioception, vestibular, visual processing, sensorimotor functional assessments, and parental surveys of sensory processing. Six of the papers were included in a meta-analysis on vibration perception threshold that failed to reach significance (p = .12). Despite heterogeneity across studies in participants, methods, and outcomes, a meta-analysis for atypical scores from parent-report sensory processing survey data yielded significant differences between children with ITW and typical controls (p < .0068).Conclusions and RelevanceChildren with ITW demonstrate impairments across multiple domains of sensory processing and sensory-motor function suggesting an underlying relationship between ITW and sensory differences. Children with ITW, however, represent a diverse group of individuals with significant between-subjects variability in which senses are impaired, and which outcome measures best capture these differences.