might end up grabbing whatever he sees first in whatever room he wandered into. Likewise, a child with an off-kilter vestibular sense will often seem forgetful, and can, for instance, come home with only two items from the grocery store even when the list you gave him clearly had three items.
LET’S LOOK AT THE CASE OF A LITTLE GIRL WE’LL CALL BAILY: Baily is sweet, quiet girl who loved to sit and watch everyone playing, but often didn’t participate in the active play around her. While kids her age were running and jumping, Baily would rather sit on the side. She’s not anti-social and is actually a favorite among her classmates, although she had trouble following instructions at times and even seemed rather inattentive in class. Baily would often slouch during the day, and seemed overwhelmed whenever she had to find a specific object in her desk or in the classroom. Assemblies were the worst, as Baily would lose herself in the crowd and wander around until a teacher spotted her and directed her to the place where she should sit. It was as if she was only partially there, even though her intelligence was on par with the rest of the class. You might have called her spacey. We called her normal, but dysregulated. In order to help Baily fully participate in the world around her, we had to help her process the world around her correctly. That meant we had to get her vestibular system running in tip-top shape. With Sensory Integration therapy, we were able to target the very root of her processing disorder. To strengthen Baily’s vestibular system, we engaged her in all sorts of movement activities, but were careful to not push her too far beyond her comfort zones. Spinning, rolling, somersaulting and swinging all help to balance the fluid in the inner ears, which regulate the vestibular system. At first, Baily didn’t like to do the activities very much, because it had a measure of discom-
fort for her. Any type of movement made her feel a bit nauseated, so we took it very slowly with her. Nowadays, she loves to move, run and jump just like the other kids. And as for following instructions? She gets them right just about every time.
• • • • • •
Do you recognize these symptoms in your child? It may be vestibular dysregulation. Clumsiness or stumbling Frequent slouching or preference for prone/restful positions Difficulty with written work Difficulty grasping instructions Movement that is slow and careful, as if the child is nervous about falling Seems lost in surroundings and has trouble locating objects
Alternatively, some children with vestibular dysregulation can have diametrically opposite symptoms and seek out constant movement. You might see things like: • A desire to constantly twirl, spin, climb, etc. • Lack of danger awareness (i.e. runs into street in front of cars, jumps from high places, etc.) • The inability to sit still or focus without moving The good news is that with Sensory Integration therapy, we can get your child’s systems up and functioning as they should be, b’ezras Hashem! * Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients Do you have a question about your child’s educational or behavioral health? Send it to us and we may address it in a future column. Please send questions to info@kidsfirstservices.com
Kids First is home to Monsey’s most dynamic team of child health professionals. We’ve brought together the best and the brightest in OT, PT, Speech Therapy, Behavioral/Social Health, limud/kriah and general tutoring to help ensure your child’s best chance at leading a successful life. Give us a call to watch your child blossom!
Your child’s success is your own. And ours. 845.425.2299 #101 • 20 Robert Pitt Drive #212 February 1, 2017 / THE MONSEY VIEW / 81 www.themonseyview.com / 845.600.8484