Vestibular input is incredibly powerful and can have amazing or surprising effects. Vestibular processing is nearly always at work in everything we do, arguably more than any other sensory system. Vestibular activities, when used correctly, have the ability to calm and soothe a child, as well as improve many aspects of development like coordination, handwriting, attention, and even reading!
Unfortunately, vestibular processing is often not understood, and when we don’t understand it, we can’t use it to help our kids! Some of our kids seek vestibular input, like my son. He loves to climb, swing high, and log roll down the hill in the back yard. But, he doesn’t stop there, he will often get creative, and when he does, I’ll find him hanging upside down somewhere or backing himself up against a wall and climbing his feet up it with his head down so that he’s inverted!
But, some kids and even babies can’t stand vestibular input and avoid it like the plague, refusing to sit on a swing or maybe even disliking walking down the stairs. And still, other children just aren’t processing vestibular input very well. In either of these cases, the effects of that poor vestibular processing can have quite a ripple effect throughout their whole life. That’s where problems with visual motor skills, body awareness, toe walking, and even W-Sitting may come in! All of those challenges can make it difficult for our kids to learn and focus.
My point is that vestibular processing is a big deal!
While the vestibular system is a HUGE topic, I want to simplify it and give you just what you need to know so that you can have some real strategies for helping your sensory kiddo! You’ll learn what vestibular input is, signs for avoiding or seeking vestibular input, amazing vestibular activities (and important safety precautions when using them), and how to help your child if they don’t like it.
What is Vestibular Input?
Vestibular input is received in the brain every single time we move our head because the receptors for this sensory system are located deep within our inner ear. The vestibular system is made up of canals that are lined with tiny little hairs and these canals also have some fluid in them. When we move, the fluid swishes around in the canals and touches the hairs. The brain gets the message about what hairs the fluid has touched and we know how and where to move! See a visual here.
That means that we get vestibular input, albeit mildly when we turn our head or walk across the room. The greater the movement, the more vestibular input we receive because that fluid is swishing around on the receptors more! This is why our vestibular seeking kids are always trying to up the ante. They want bigger, more powerful vestibular input and they’ll get it when they move fast, climb high, hand upside down, swing, or spin.
Our vestibular system is so very important because it links to our vision, auditory and proprioceptive systems, and more. Because of that connection, vestibular processing affects eye-hand coordination (visual motor skills) and how we move our bodies (body awareness). If the vestibular system is under-developed or there are processing problems, you might see surprising difficulties in your child:
- Difficulty sitting still (very wiggly)
- Poor handwriting
- Poor core strength (w-sitting, hard-time sitting with good posture)
- Poor balance
- Poor motor planning (figuring out how to move the body in a new way like riding a bike for the first time)
- Difficulty problem solving
- Poor organizational skills
- Poor attention
- Clumsiness
The good news is that with vestibular activities these challenges can be improved upon greatly! Read more about underdeveloped vestibular processing here.
If you would like to learn more about Vestibular Activities and how it can help your child, you can contact us for more information and consultation.
Contact us at 973-579-1071 or e-mail us at lindaharrigan820@gmail.com. You can visit our website at www.thechildrenstherapycenternj.com.
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