Static and dynamic balance in children in the context of school readiness

Background: School readiness is the ability to perform coordinated motor tasks that are used in the activities of daily living in the context of starting compulsory education. It covers areas such as physical, sensorimotor, cognitive, emotional, and social development. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of balance in children preparing to start school based on selected clinical observation tests of sensory integration. Method: The evaluation were conducted on 6-year-old children in 2019. The study included 75 girls and boys. Schilder test, dynamic balance, static balance, and gravitational insecurity tests were used to assess balance. Basic descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected material. Results: In tests of walking foot by foot on a marked line (dynamic balance) low levels of dynamic balance were recorded in most 6-year-old participants. Medium to low levels of static balance (standing on one leg with eyes open and closed) were recorded in that group. In the gravitational insecurity test, more than 90% of the respondents showed good and average scores. It was found that girls scored significantly better on balance tests. In the Schilder test, correct postural responses were found in only 32% of the participants. There was a significant positive correlation of the results of the dynamic balance test with the static balance test, and the Schilder test assessing postural mechanism with the static balance test. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate the need for targeted measures to develop the postural balance of preschool children and compensatory measures to improve postural mechanism control.