Its supports much more than balance!
The vestibular sense is often called the sense of balance. However, there is much more to the story. In this post you will discover that the vestibular system is essential to support:
I’ll also discuss what it might look like if someone has challenges processing sensory information from the vestibular system.
Its supports much more than balance!
The vestibular sense is often called the sense of balance. However, there is much more to the story. In this post you will discover that the vestibular system is essential to support:
We will also discuss what it might look like if someone has challenges processing sensory information from the vestibular system.
Where is the vestibular system located?
The vestibular system itself is located in the part of our inner ear called the vestibule, this is how it gets its name. The vestibule is attached to the cochlea, the part of the inner ear that helps with hearing. Inside the vestibule, there are two organs, the semi-circular canals, and the otoliths. You can follow the arrows on the picture below to see where these are.
How does it work?
The vestibular system receives information when our head moves. Our head can move up and down (e.g. nodding yes) and side to side (e.g. nodding no). We can also move our ear down towards our shoulder. With the help of our body, the head also moves forwards and backwards, side to side, and up and down. Essentially, our head can move in all possible directions. This movement gives information to our vestibular system, which helps our brain to know where we are in space and how fast or slow we are moving.
This video explains the how the fluid in the vestibular system works in two minutes!
What might it look like if the vestibular system isn’t working well?
When the vestibular system doesn’t process the information it receives very well, there are three typical responses. Some children and adults are sensitive to vestibular input, which means their brains respond to only a small amount of movement. Other children and adults are slower to respond to the input, which means they need more movement to understand the information their vestibular sense receives. These children and adults could either respond by seeking out more movement or by just being slow to respond and a bit sluggish. There are also children or adults who might display a combination of the three responses.
Some typical traits seen for each type of response are listed below.
Sensitivity to vestibular sensory input:
Seeking out vestibular sensory input:
Slow response to vestibular sensory input:
Jessica’s story – movement sensitivity
Jessica has very low thresholds for movement. She doesn’t like having her feet off the ground. This includes when she is lifted up into the air by adults. It can make moving her a little challenging at times. She hates it when she is put on a swing. Therapist sometimes call this gravitational insecurity. Her parents learnt early on to keep her close to them when they lifted her up and that ‘aeroplane games’ were not her favourite. She has been working her her occupational therapist to help to decrease her movement sensitivity.
How the vestibular system helps day to day
Balance and the vestibular sense
Balance is essential for all of our movement. Without balance we would not be able to roll over, sit up or walk. We rely heavily on the feedback from our inner ear to make sure we don’t fall over if the ground is uneven or when there are steps. We can also keep our bodies steady if the surface underneath us moves, for example on escalators. When we roll over in bed, it is our vestibular system that makes sure we don’t roll out! The majority of body movements we make rely on good balance and postural control.
Postural control
Postural control describes all of the small adjustments our body is constantly making to ensure it doesn’t over or under balance. Our postural control allows our bodies to move in different directions whilst remaining stable. For example, when we bend forward our back muscles and our stomach muscles work together to make sure we don’t go too slowly, or crash down too quickly, or fall over. When we throw a ball we can move our arm without our whole body going forward with it and without losing our footing.
Reaching across the table to get the salt, also requires good postural control. Without it, we might fall out of our chair into the person next to us or into our food. We can twist and turn and bend our bodies in any number of ways without falling over when our vestibular system is working well.
Muscle tone
Muscle tone refers to the constant little contractions our muscles are making when we are still. These little contractions allows our bodies to increase or decrease tension as required when we are still and moving. Our vestibular system supports this tension. Muscle tone can be affected by diseases that damage the brain, such as a stroke, head injury or cerebral palsy. In these cases, muscle tone might be very tight or very low and this makes movement much more difficult. Some children with Sensory Processing Disorder might have lower than average muscle tone and this can affect their postural control and stability.
Spatial orientation
Spatial orientation lets our brain know where our body is in space. It helps us to know if we we lying down or standing up or sitting. Or, if we moving forwards, backwards. sideways, up or down. If we high off the ground on a ladder or if are our feet on the ground? Or, if there an incline or if are we on the flat? It also gives feedback to let us know how fast are we moving. Our vestibular system is constantly sending this type of information to our brains to let us know where we are in space.
Alertness
Alertness relates to our ability to pay attention. Surprisingly, our vestibular system plays a big role is our attention and focus. Typically, if you have been for a run or been exercising you will be more alert and focused. This is because of the extra vestibular input your brain has received from the movement. If you have spent the entire day seated, you are more likely to feel a bit more sluggish.
Eye movements and the vestibular sense
Finally, our vestibular system controls our eye movements. It allows us to look in the direction we want to look. We can look up to the board or teacher and then back to our work. Or look over at the clock and then back to our TV, without getting dizzy or losing focus. When we walk, what we see doesn’t bounce up and down, it stays focused. Our brain is constantly processing the information about our head movements to adjust our eye movement to match.
Theo’s story – movement seeking
Theo is a classic movement seeker. He finds it hard to sit still in class and is constantly getting up to approach the teacher. He rocks on his chair and fidgets about. He loves going to theme parks and going on all of the fast rides! Sometimes he can become disorganised by all of his movement, so his teachers and parents add structure to help him to stay organised. This means that he has to move between certain points in the room and sometimes they ask him to count his movements.
Why is the vestibular system important for learning and work?
Alertness and focus
Learning firstly requires good attention and focus. You have just learned that the vestibular system helps with alertness and therefore a student’s ability to attend. Without good attention, it is very difficult to stay on task or to listen to your teacher. If you can’t stay focused at work it will take a lot longer to get your work completed.
Balance and postural control
Balance and postural control are essential for all motor skills. Sitting at a desk requires good postural control. So does sitting on the carpet. Without it, you will likely start leaning into your peers. Using a pencil or a computer also require good postural control. Playtime and PE are also much more difficult without good balance and postural control.
Children and adults who are more sensitive to movement may avoid activities and reduce their opportunities for learning. Those who seek out extra input often are too quick and have poor control over their movements. They often get in trouble for constantly being on the go. Those with slower responses often have poor coordination and tire more easily as they need to use more effort to sustain positions than their peers.
Spatial awareness
Spatial awareness is firstly important to ensure you don’t bump into others and are successful in moving around. It is also important for subjects like maths and essential for times tables. It plays a role in making sure you get your letters and numbers facing the right way and on the line. Visual processing is also important for these things, but the vestibular system helps to lays the foundation.
Eye movements
Good control over eye movements is, again, essential for most learning tasks. When reading, you need to be able to scan from left to right, then move your eyes back to the left without skipping lines. When attending to a presentation or looking at the teacher, you have to be able to look at the presenter or teacher then the board then your work, ideally with smooth transitions between each. To catch a ball you need to be able to track it and keep focused on it to allow your hands to be ready to catch. If you’re running you also need the image to stay steady rather than bounce up and down.
Overall our vestibular sense is really essential for learning! This video gives a little more information.
Where to Next?
If you want to ready about more sensory strategies, we recommend these articles
- Sensory Seating – Tips for Choosing Sensory Cushions and Sensory Chairs
- Ten Tips for Using Wobble Cushions in the Classroom
- Sensory Strategies and Supports for the Classroom
Or, to learn more about sensory processing differences we recommend these ones
- What is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)?
- It is a Sensory Issue? Symptoms and Signs of Sensory Issues in Children
- Dyspraxia symptoms – Is my child dyspraxic?
To learn even more you might find these resources helpful
- Sensory Processing with GriffinOT (Online training including free introduction)
- Success with Sensory Supports (Kim’s second book)
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