The vestibular and proprioceptive systems contribute to the achievement of the calm-alert state. In fact, an underactive vestibular system has been shown to lead to children becoming hyperactive and distractible. It is important to encourage your child to engage in active movement to activate these senses when it is important she remains in this optimal state of learning.
Movement, which causes your child’s body to stretch or work against resistance, such as hanging from a monkey bar or jumping on a trampoline, are best. One option to help your over-aroused child when she’s required to sit still and pay attention would be to tie an elastic band to the base of her chair. She will appear to be sitting still while she obtains the input she requires to attend to eating her dinner.
Alternatively. tell your child to push herself up on her hands by placing them on either side of her body on the seat of the chair. Allow her to do this two or three times in order to regulate her vestibular and proprioceptive system. Observe your child’s level of arousal before she begins an activity and increase or reduce it if it isn’t ideal, before launching into the task at hand.
Over-aroused – Bouncing your child typically causes the child to be emotional – either laughing hysterically or agitated. Under-aroused – movements tend to be slow and few in number. Her posture is slouched, she seems floppy and their eyes are glazed over. The use of baby sleep mist products will lead the baby to fall asleep.
Alert – Your child is bright-eyed and calm. Her posture is held upright and she appears focused. People respond in a unique manner to sensorimotor input. For example, some of may find a back massage or baby sleep mist calming while others find it stimulating. Learn what works for your child through observing the kind of input she unconsciously chooses for herself when she is running on low arousal or high arousal to bring herself to “just right”.
Some sensorimotor contributors result in either an increase or decrease in arousal although some can have both effects. The proprioceptive system tends to help adjust the arousal levels to the alert state regardless of whether they are over or under aroused. So begin by checking the impacts of this list of activities. Encourage your child to play push and pull games as she learns more about the world around her.
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