In our last article we covered tactile (touch) stimulation. In this article we are going to discuss our vestibular sense. Our vestibular sense is responsible not only for our balance, but also for creating an awareness of the location of our heads and bodies in relation to the ground. The two items that cause this awareness are gravity and movement.
A child diagnosed with an Autism disorder with a hypersensitive response to movement may avoid or draw away from movement completely. The child may not seek to participate in games or activities that involve movement such as Ring-Around-the-Rosie or Head-Shoulders-Knees-and Toes. Children that are hypersensitive to movement tend to prefer observing these and similar activities rather than participating.
On the other hand, and child that is hypo-sensitive to movement seeks to move more! These children crave and need the vestibular stimulation that movement provides. Often these children are labeled as “hyperactive” or “rowdy” and they may exhibit somewhat risky behaviors. That is because these children need plenty of movement and plenty of robust activities. Children diagnosed with Autism that have a hypo-sensitivity to movement may bump into things, hang upside-down for extended periods of time, spend excessive amounts of time spinning in circles,swinging, or climbing.
Like the tactile sense, the vestibular sense also affects everyday developmental skills. The skills affected may include, but are not limited to: movement, balance, muscle tone, motor planning, and emotional security.
Just as in the case of tactile stimulation, we believe the best way for a child to get more movement is during their recreational activities. Children with a diagnosis of Autism need play. They need recreation. For a child that is Hyper(over) sensitive to movement, parents and caregivers can firmly hold one pillow against the front side of the child’s body and another pillow on the back side of the child’s body so the child can feel secure. Then, make a game of moving the child rapidly or slightly faster than they are used to. This provides much needed movement stimulation and is one of the least expensive activities since it is something you can do at home with materials that are already on hand.
For a child with a hypo-sensitivity to movement, be sure that the child is able to get the movement they crave. Clear out a room or space that they can spin, jump, or rock in. Give them a swing-set they can swing on or a slide, a rocking horse they can ride, or consider a swing that you can hang indoors as seen below. Toys that are commercially available for vestibular stimulation are featured here as well. Consider these products:
. By author Nancy Wiseman. ”For parents worried about their children’s development, Wiseman, president of a developmental disorder awareness organization and the mother of an autistic child, promotes a rigorous approach to identifying autism warning signs, stressing early diagnosis as a crucial component of securing proper post-diagnosis treatment.”
. This is considered by some parents and educators to be an essential resource when a child is diagnosed with any disorder that falls on the Autism Spectrum.
