Study on the developmental characteristics of sensory processing and its association with balance skills in children aged 3 to 5 years

YANG Zhiyong; ZHU Chengcheng; SONG Jun; TENG Meiling; HONG Qin; CHI Xia; HE Yanlu

doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1082

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2026, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (8) : 874-878. DOI: 10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1082

Digital Rehabilitation and Childhood Neurodevelopment

Study on the developmental characteristics of sensory processing and its association with balance skills in children aged 3 to 5 years

YANG Zhiyong, ZHU Chengcheng, SONG Jun, TENG Meiling, HONG Qin, CHI Xia, HE Yanlu

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Abstract

Objective To explore the developmental characteristics of sensory processing in children aged 3 to 5 years, and to analyze its association with balance ability, in order to provide a scientific reference for the early identification of related developmental issues. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 133 children aged 3 - 5 years who underwent routine health examinations at Nanjing Women and Children's Healthcare Hospital from August 2023 to April 2025. Sensory processing was assessed using the Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist, and dynamic and static balance ability was evaluated using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition. One-way analysis of variance and chi-square test were used to compare sensory processing scores and abnormal rates across age groups,and multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between sensory processing characteristics and the risk of abnormal balance ability. Results Significant differences across age groups were observed in the tactile domain and the over-responsivity to sensory stimuli dimension (F=3.886, 4.793, P＜0.05). Regarding abnormal rates of sensory processing, only the vestibular-balance domain showed a statistically significant difference among different age groups (χ²_trend=4.638, P=0.031), while no significant differences were observed in the other domains or in the overall abnormal rate of sensory processing (P>0.05). After adjustment for sex, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that scores on the hypo-reactivity to sensory stimuli dimension were negatively associated with risk of abnormal balance ability in the 3-year-old group (OR=0.80, 95%CI: 0.70 - 0.92, P=0.002), scores on the sensory seeking dimension were also associated with the risk of abnormal balance ability (OR=1.08, 95%CI: 1.01 - 1.16, P=0.031). In the 4- to 5-year-old group, no significant associations were found between sensory modulation factors and the risk of abnormal balance ability (P>0.05). Conclusions Specific dimensions of sensory processing exhibit age-related differences in children aged 3 to 5 years. Sensory response patterns may be associated with the risk of abnormal balance ability in 3-year-old children, suggesting that early screening should focus on sensory hypo-reactivity and sensory seeking behaviors to facilitate the early identification of balance impairments in preschool children.

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sensory processing / motor skills / balance / preschool children

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YANG Zhiyong, ZHU Chengcheng, SONG Jun, TENG Meiling, HONG Qin, CHI Xia, HE Yanlu. Study on the developmental characteristics of sensory processing and its association with balance skills in children aged 3 to 5 years[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2026, 34(8): 874-878 https://doi.org/10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1082

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