Balance and Movement or Vestibular Sensory Warning Signs

What can I do?; Sensory Warning Signs;Milestones Birth to 24 months; Milestones 2 to 5 years

Oversensitive -- Undersensitive -- Poor Perception and/or Discrimination

Balance and Movement
Overreactive   Avoider
As an infant, may never have liked baby swings or jumpers .   Avoids or fears movement.
May have disliked being placed on stomach as an infant.   Avoids new positions, especially of head.
Becomes disoriented after bending over sink, or table.   Avoids amusement park rides that drop, climb, spin, or go upside down.
Holds head upright, even when bending/leaning.   Avoids rapid or rotating movements.
Turns whole body to look at you, rather than just head.   Avoids/dislikes elevators and escalators; may prefer sitting while they are on them or, actually get motion sickness from them .
May physically cling to an adult they trust .   Avoids/dislikes playground equipment; i.e., swings, ladders, slides, or merry-go-rounds.
Becomes overly excited after a movement activity.   They may try to control and manipulate events to avoid stressful sensations which may appear to others as obstinate and unco-operative behaviour.
Difficulty riding on elevators, escalators, or moving sidewalks.  
Frequently gets car sick, air sick, motion sick.  
Holds onto walls or banisters.  
Insecure about movement experiences.  
May appear terrified of falling even when there is no real risk of it .  
Afraid of heights, even the height of a curb or step .  
Fearful of feet leaving the ground .  
Fearful of going up or down stairs or walking on uneven surfaces .  
Afraid of being tipped upside down, sideways or backwards; will strongly resist getting hair washed over the sink .  
Startles if someone else moves them; i.e., pushing his/her chair closer to the table .  
May be fearful of, and have difficulty riding a bike, jumping, hopping, or balancing on one foot (especially if eyes are closed) .  
Fearful of activities which require good balance .  
Fearful of jump up and down stairs, rolling in a barrel, climbing, leaning backwards, somersaults and swinging.  
Loses balance easily and may appear clumsy .  
Very clumsy on changeable surfaces, such as a field.  

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Balance and Movement
Underreactive   Seeking
Clumsy, lethargic.   Is a thrill seeker; loves fast and/or dangerous rides and sports.
Slow to respond to movement demands.   Seeks out fast, spinning, and/or upside down carnival rides.
Poor endurance, tires easily.   Restless when sitting through a lecture, presentation, or movie.
Doesn't seem to get dizzy.   Craves movement.
Might not catch self when falling or protect self from getting hurt; lacks reflexes.   Craves fast, spinning, and/or intense movement experiences.
Does not enjoy or do well in sports.   Loves being tossed in the air.
Often stumbles and falls.   Could spin for hours and never appear to be dizzy.
Difficulty co-ordinating both sides of the body, lacks hand dominance, does not cross midline.   Loves the fast, intense, and/or scary rides at amusement parks.
Confusion of right and left.   In constant motion, can't seem to sit still.
Reversal of letters.   Always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning in a swivel chair, or getting into upside down positions.
Delay in speech, reading, writing and visual perception.   Loves to swing as high as possible and for long periods of time is a "thrill-seeker"; dangerous at times.
Inability to follow a moving object, draw a line, read a line of print of copy from blackboard.   Always running, jumping, hopping etc. instead of walking.
Trouble holding head up while sitting.   Likes sudden or quick movements, such as, going over a big bump in the car or on a bike.
Delayed balance and equilibrium reactions.   Love of fast and moving equipment – without becoming dizzy.
  Rocks in desk/chair.
  Rocks body, shakes leg, or head while sitting.
  Will often rock or sway body back and forth while seated or standing still.
  Frequently tip chair on back two legs.

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Balance and Movement
Poor Perception and/or Discrimination
May have never crawled as an baby.
Has a limp, "floppy" body.
Fatigues easily.
Has poor body awareness; bumps into things, knocks things over, trips, and/or appears clumsy.
Poor gross motor skills; jumping, catching a ball, jumping jacks, climbing a ladder etc..
Seems to be unsure about how to move body during movement, for example, stepping over something.
Poor fine motor skills; difficulty using "tools", such as pencils, silverware, combs, scissors etc..
May appear ambidextrous, frequently switching hands for coloring, cutting, writing etc.; does not have an Established hand preference/dominance by 4 or 5 years old.
Frequently slumps, lies down, and/or leans head on hand or arm while working at his/her desk.
Difficulty simultaneously lifting head, arms, and legs off the floor while lying on stomach ("superman" position).
Often sits in a "W sit" position on the floor to stabilize body.
Compensates for "looseness" by grasping objects tightly.
Difficulty turning doorknobs, handles, opening and closing items.
Difficulty catching him/her self if falling.
Difficulty getting dressed and doing fasteners, zippers, and buttons.
Difficulty licking an ice cream cone.
Difficulty learning exercise or dance steps.

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