have recently been learning what vestibular input is. Will has developed a lot of habits recently that have had me concerned. I have been talking about these things with our therapy team and this word vestibular keeps getting tossed around.
Will is constantly on the move! Rocking back and forth, shaking his head, hitting things with his hand. I saw these repetitive movements and became very concerned these were early signs of autism. Dad and I immediately started asking doctor google and autism kept popping up on our searches. Talking with Will's team they were less concerned with autism and more concerned about his need for more vestibular input.
What is Vestibular Input?
The vestibular system is part of the inner ear and brain that is involved in movement. It is involved in any change in position, direction and head movement. There is a fluid in the inner ear that helps us make sense of movement. As the fluid floats in the ear it sends messages to our brain that tells us if we are right side up vs upside down. My understanding is that sight helps fuel this so that we have the information we need to make sense of it all. If you think about a sudden change in position without eyesight you have to use your body to figure out where you are in space. This is how Will gets his vestibular input!
WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTER
Will has developed a habit of banging his head while in his high chair. I've heard from other moms that this isn't all that abnormal however for Will it is a piece in a much bigger puzzle! He was banging so hard in the chair he was moving the high chair backwards and even starting to tip it. As you can imagine feeding a blind baby already comes with it's challenges. Now try to spoon feed a blind baby who is constantly in motion!!!!!! It has been a point of EXTREME frustration for me and dad. He was hitting so hard I asked his pediatrician if I should be worried about concussions... NO he is not going to give himself a concussion.
Will is a SEEKER! He is constantly seeking input and information from his environment. His body is craving vestibular input. When you take him off the floor where his whole body is in contact with a solid surface and place him in an elevated chair where his feet hang he loses that sensory input that helps tell his vestibular process where he is. By violently beating himself in his chair he is feeding that vestibular system to make sense of it all.
When I was explained this and finally understood I felt extremely sad and depressed. I felt as if my child was starving for something because I wasn't giving it to him. He needed input so bad he was beating his head, I felt like a bad mom. My job as a mom is to meet his needs and I wasn't doing that. He needed me to help give him a basic need and I failed. I felt that I had caused this violent response when the poor little man just wanted to figure out where in the world he was. My baby was in the dark with no understanding of where he was and I wasn't helping him. I understand ultimately understand this was not my fault however it doesn't change the way it made me feel.
So HOW do I help him!?!?!
Our therapy team was great about trying to creatively think of solutions.
1. We started by moving his high chair up against our dining room table. This made it so his feet were touching something. However then he started pushing off the table with his feet while throwing his body back tipping his chair. We then wedged him between the table and wall for safety reasons. Ultimately it did not work.
2. We added different textures to his feet. We tried pool noodle material, memory foam, no sock, fuzzy socks, you name it! Still didn't help.
3. We tried giving him more input right before meal time. We tried swinging, rolling, climbing, sliding, everything I could think of really. Still no difference.
4. New Chair! Our team recommended a tripp trapp high chair. These chairs are great, highly recommended but very pricey. I got on market place and started looking for wood chairs with foot rests. The goal is to get a 90 degree angle at his knees and his feet flat on a surface. I found a wood eddie bauer chair with a foot rest. It worked better and reduced the banging but still not quite ideal angles. Our team through early intervention purchased a used high chair and has it on loan to us while we are in the program. His NEW NEW chair works much better. He still rocks back and forth but it's much less violent.
Exercises to help with Vestibular input. Anything that involves full body movement.
1. Swinging is great as it is constant movement. Will especially likes it when we tap on the plastic parts of his seat while he's swinging. He gets the movement and the sound and giggles every time.
2. Blanket swings. Put baby in the middle of a throw blanket and 2 people hold 2 corners on the short sides. Swing back and forth, Will LOVES this activity. We also occasionally pop him up, it's also a crowd please.
3. Rolling. This is not our favorite but others may like it better. Take a blanket or quilt and toll baby up like a burrito and unroll repeatedly. They get pressure all over from the blanked and the movement.
4. Jumping. They sell little kid trampolines with bars to hold on too. Obviously we aren't the best at standing yet so this isn't the best activity for us yet. However I've been thinking about buying a trampoline and just sitting him on it so he can feel to bounce as he wiggles around.
5. Climbing. Will loves to climb all over me. Our Occupational therapist explained he enjoys climbing me more than other things because he has a great map of my body. He has spent so much time in my arms he has a map of me memorized so he feels safe and comfortable crawling all over. I am slowly trying to get him just as comfortable with climbing around in his different play places.
6. HUGS. Really any body squeezes. Dad and I make a smushie sandwich with kisses on top. Again just getting that full body contact with love!!!!
7. leg raises. I lay on the floor on my back with my knees bent. I put Will's tummy against my chins and hold onto his hand. I'll lift him on my legs up and down sometimes to the point he's vertical. He loves the motion and sound effect are a great bonus.
The possibilities are endless, these are just a few that we've explored thus far. Don't be afraid to try new activities and new position. You might have to try the exercises multiple times one day they may not like it and the next love it. The most important thing is to enjoy baby. Love on them, hug them, kiss them and do your best that's all any of us can do.
