What’s the vestibular system?

The vestibular system is one of the most important sensory systems of the body as all the other senses are closely linked to it.

The vestibular system takes in sensory messages about balance and movement from the neck, eyes and body; it then sends these messages to the central nervous system for processing.
 “It forms the basic relationship of a person to gravity and the physical world.  All other types of sensation are processed in reference to this basic vestibular information.  When the vestibular system does not function in a consistent and accurate way, the interpretation of other sensations will be inconsistent and inaccurate.”

It tells us whether we are moving or standing still and whether objects are moving or not in relation to our body.. It also gives us information about which direction we are going in and how fast we are going.  Simply put, it is somewhat like our internal compass!

What makes up the vestibular system?
 The receptors are in the inner ear which register every movement and every change in head position :

1. vestibular apparatus in the inner ear
2. vestibular pathways and nuclei lying in the brain stem (medulla oblongata & pons)
3. the cerebellum
4. the semicircular canals
5. the reticular activating system

Gravity and movement activates these receptors and send neuronal impulses to the above areas and to the neocortex, the eyes and the core muscles. The connection between the vestbiular system and these areas  is highly important to the learning process.”When we don’t move and activate the vestibular system, we are not taking in information from the environment”.

What is vestibular dysfunction?
The child with vestibular dysfunction is unable to integrate information regarding
• gravity   •  space    • movement    • balance

He may
- be oversensitive(hypersensitive)  or undersensitive (hyposensitive)  to movement, or both
- have poor muscle tone
- have visual and reading problems
- have difficulties in processing language and problems in communication
 

Characteristics of vestibular dysfunction

Hyposensitve: (likes movement)

1. needs to keep moving, in order to function, finds it difficult to  keep still/stay in a seat
2. rocks back and forth, jumps up and down, repeatedly  shakes the head
3. craves intense movements like bouncing on furniture, rocking chairs, likes

      spinning and does not get dizzy even after spinning  for a long time

1. enjoys swinging very high and for a long time
2. likes seesaws and trampolines more than other children
3. likes climbing, may bump and crash into objects and persons, seeking intense movement sensations.

Hypersenstitive (doesn’t like movement)

1.  dislikes swinging, spinning and sliding
2.  is cautious, hesitates taking risks, slow moving and sedentary
3.  tends to be uncooperative and willful
4.  feels uncomfortable in elevators/escalators, experiences car sickness
5.  experiences gravitational insecurity – fear of falling and heights, even low raised surfaces like road curbs or steps, climbing stairs , fearful when the head is inverted/tilted as in having his/her hair washed

Difficulties with movement, balance and posture:
-     didn’t crawl much as baby

1. has poor gross motor skills , clumsy at sports,  
2. easily looses balance ,like when climbing stairs,
3. fidgety and clumsy

Low muscle tone

1. tends to slump or sprawl in chair, prefers to lie down instead of sitting up, leans head on arm or hand
2. has difficulty manipulating  objects that require pressure like doorknobs, scissors, pencils, spoons
3. be unable to catch himself /herself  from falling

 Poor visual-spatial processing

1. has difficulty tracking or following a moving object or a line of printed words
2. has difficulty shifting his/her gaze from one object to another, like when looking

      from the whiteboard to his/her own desk.
-     omits words and numbers and loses his/her place while reading and writing,
      has difficulty with size and spacing of letters and numbers

1. turns or tilts his/her  head when  reading across a page
2. fails to comprehend what he/she is reading or  looses interest easily
3. difficulty with  fitting pieces into puzzles and cutting along lines
4. bumps into furniture or misses stairs and curbs
5. has a poor sense of direction, confuses left, right. up and down
6. fatigues easily during schoolwork
7. avoids group activities where there is movement

Difficulties with auditory –language processing

1. has difficulty in identifying  where  sounds are coming from and so  may look around to see where they come from
2. has trouble identifying voices or  sounds
3. unable to pay attention to one voice or sound without being distracted by other sounds.
4. distressed by noises that are loud, sudden or high-pitched
5. asks for repetition, able to follow only 1 or 2 instructions , unable to remember what he/she reads or hears
6. has difficulty in reading, especially out loud, in  making up rhymes and singing in tune, difficulty in speaking and articulating clearly
7. speaking ability is improved after intense movement

Some activities to help your child develop his/her vestibular integration:

• Sitting on a gym ball- get a gym ball for your child to sit on while watching televison or listening to a story. Another activity is to Balance while lying on the stomach, on the  back or sitting and bouncing
• Jumping on a trampoline -   works the core muscles and is fun for the child
• Rhythmic rocking – a great way for your child to get energized, organized or calm.
• Rolling in the blanket/carpet:  Wrap a towel, blanket or rug around the child so that his/her head and arms and feet are free.  Let the child roll on the floor, bed or grassy slope.
• Riding bicycles, tricyles, scooters– help children improve their balance, motor coordination
• Sliding -  slide sitting down, lying down, frontwards (with chest on slide)
• See-sawing – walking, balancing on a seesaw
• Swinging – gentle swinging is very therapeutic.  If the child is afraid, hold him/her on your lap.  Encourage by starting on a low swing so that the child’s feet touch the ground.
• In the Blanket – One adult at the opposite end of a blanket , the child is on the blanket.The adults swing the blanket. 
• Walking on textured surfaces -  on grass, sand, stones, water bed
• Climbing up and down stairs
• Lying on the stomach , with head up , with or without a therapy ball -  play games , play  with Lego set and small toys, draw  in this position, rock backwards and forwards

Encourage, never force any of these activities on your child and ensure that an adult is always present.
Don’t do all the activities at the same time -  instead, one at a time, you don’t want to overload the system!

Bibliograhpy
– Sensory Integration and the Child - Dr Jean Ayres
- Smart Moves- Why Learning  Is Not All In Your Head - Carla Hannaford
- The Out-of-Sync child has fun : activities for kids with sensory processing disorder - Carol Stock Kranowitz
- Hope and Help for Children with Sensory Processing Disorders- Lucy J Miller
- Parenting a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder: a family guide to understanding & supporting your sensory-sensitive child - Christopher R. 
  Auer, with Susan L. Blumberg.
- Too Loud, Too Bright, Too Fast, Too Tight – S. Heller