Child Norms Project

Standing Balance: A Foundation for Healthy Development

The ABBEL Research Division of the Rehabilitation Institute at Sinai is inviting families to join a study focused on how children ages 5 to 8 maintain their balance while standing.

By taking part, your child will help researchers better understand how balance typically develops at different ages. This information may support earlier recognition of delayed or atypical development, therefore leading to earlier intervention.

Who Can Join

Children may be eligible to take part in this study if they:

Are 5, 6, 7 or 8 years old
Are developing typically
Have no known medical or developmental diagnoses
Have had no lower limb injuries in the past six months
Have had no surgeries in the past six months

If you are unsure whether your child qualifies, we encourage you to reach out – our research team is happy to answer any questions or help determine eligibility.

Email Phone: 443-826-6798

Study Location

All study visits will take place in the Pediatric Motor Development Lab at Sinai Hospital.

Our testing room is designed to look and feel like a pediatric exam room, similar to what your child might experience at a regular doctor’s office. Researchers will wear white coats to mirror a typical pediatric office setting.

What Participation Looks Like

One Visit | About 50 minutes

You and your child will visit our Pediatric Motor Development Lab for a one-time paid visit. This visit includes short standing activities, simple body measurements and built-in breaks to keep things comfortable and fun.

What the Child Will Do

Standing Activities

Your child will be asked to stand barefoot while staying relaxed and still.

Five standing trials in total
Each trial will last up to one minute
Breaks are offered in-between trials

Body Measurements

We will take a few simple body measurements, similar to what happens at a routine pediatric visit.

Height and weight
Torso, leg and foot lengths
Head circumference

What the Parent Will Do

While the child completes the aforementioned activities, the accompanying
parent will be led to a computer station in a room adjoining the child testing area.

Each parent will be asked to complete 3 forms:

Contact Information Form
Health History Form
Developmental Assessment - DP-4

Please Note: To maintain a quiet, controlled testing environment,
additional siblings cannot be accommodated in the testing area.
Because the accompanying parent will be completing study forms
throughout the visit, we kindly ask families to arrange childcare for
siblings or have another adult attend to supervise them. Thank you
for helping us provide the best possible testing environment for your child.

Equipment Used

We use safe, non-invasive equipment to help us understand how children maintain balance while standing.

Force Plate

This platform rests on the ground and measures small shifts in balance. This will be used for three standing trials.

Wearable Sensors

This is a small lightweight device, similar in size to a smartwatch, that also measures changes in balance. This will be worn for three standing trials, as your child stands on the force plate or on the ground.