The Vestibular System: Our Balance & Movement Sense
The Eight Senses
Our sensory systems help us process and understand the world around us and are made up of eight senses—visual input (sight), auditory input (hearing), gustatory input (taste), olfactory input (smell), tactile input (touch), interoceptive input (perception of sensations inside the body), proprioceptive input (perception of where our body is in space), and vestibular input (perception of balance and body movement). Let’s take a closer look at vestibular input as it relates to sensory integration and sensory processing.
The Anatomy of the Vestibular System
The main components of the vestibular system are located in the inner ear. Within the inner ear, there are three semicircular canals which detect rotational movements, and two otolith receptors (utricle and saccule) which detect linear movement. When our head moves, the fluid in the structures is displaced, moving tiny hair cells, which signals to our brain that our head position has changed. The Vestibular System plays a large role in helping our body maintain balance, upright posture, and stabilization of our head and body during movement.
Vestibular Input
Vestibular input is the perception of any change in position, direction, or movement of the head. It provides information to our bodies about whether we are going with or against gravity, whether we are moving or stationary (and the speed of the movement), and which direction we are going. The ability to process vestibular information contributes to the development of muscle tone, balance, spatial orientation and awareness, postural control, eye muscle movement, bilateral skill, rhythm/timing, and emotional stability.
Vestibular Processing Challenges
Children demonstrating difficulties with processing vestibular input may present with vertigo, oculomotor (eye muscle movement) difficulties, decreased balance or coordination, delayed gross motor milestones, and/or over-responsiveness or under-responsiveness to vestibular input.
Over-responsiveness to Vestibular Input
Children who demonstrate over-responsiveness to vestibular input can be highly sensitive and overwhelmed by movement, may become motion sick easily, show signs of gravitational insecurity, and may avoid movement activities or activities that may challenge balance or coordination.
Vestibular Activities to Try:
Swinging while seated on adult’s lap
Lightly bouncing on exercise ball with feet touching the ground
Sit on a trampoline while someone else lightly bounces on trampoline
Use feet to propel forward slowly on a scooter board
Under-responsiveness to Vestibular Input
Children who demonstrate under-responsiveness to vestibular input may tolerate a great deal of vestibular input before it registers. They may be constantly moving (pacing, rocking, twirling, bolting) and seeking out opportunities to jump, crash, fall, spin, flip, and swing.
Vestibular Activities to Try:
Propelling self on swing
Scooting on scooter board while seated or laying on belly
Jumping on a trampoline
Climbing monkey bars
Riding a bike or scooter
Going down a slide
Hanging from a trapeze swing
Logrolling
Windmill exercises
Types of Vestibular Stimulation
Movement can affect us in different ways—not all vestibular experiences are the same. For an example, swinging back and forth on a playground swing is different from rapidly swinging on a tire swing that may be spinning or changing directions. The first is linear movement, which can be calming and organizing, while the second is rotary movement, which can be unpredictable and alerting. When providing vestibular stimulation, it is imperative to take a close look at the quality of movement it elicits. Below are examples of alerting movements and calming movements:
Alerting Movements
Rotary movement
Unpredictable, rapid movement
Jerky movements
Bouncing
Changing direction of movement
Flipping (head inversion)
Calming Movements
Linear movement
Slow, rhythmic movement
Predictable movement
What Can We Do?
Participating in different movement experiences such as jumping, climbing, and swinging will help a child further develop their vestibular system. A sensory diet is an individualized protocol of sensory activities that a child can complete to meet his or her specific sensory needs. At Tiny Transformations, highly trained therapists who are skilled in sensory integration treatment are equipped to design a specialized sensory diet for your child so that they receive the sensory input they need to effectively process and engage with the world around them.
Kahn, S. and Chang, R. Anatomy of the Vestibular System: A Review NeuroRehabilitation 32 437 – 443, 2013
Buono, J. (n.d.). Sensory Integration Therapy: What is it and who benefits from it? Retrieved from http://ceril.net/index.php/articulos?id=538