Balance and Movement |
Overreactive |
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Avoider |
As an infant, may never have liked baby swings or jumpers . |
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Avoids or fears movement. |
May have disliked being placed on stomach as an infant. |
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Avoids new positions, especially of head. |
Becomes disoriented after bending over sink, or table. |
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Avoids amusement park rides that drop, climb, spin, or go upside down. |
Holds head upright, even when bending/leaning. |
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Avoids rapid or rotating movements. |
Turns whole body to look at you, rather than just head. |
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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 . |
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Avoids/dislikes playground equipment; i.e., swings, ladders, slides, or merry-go-rounds. |
Becomes overly excited after a movement activity. |
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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. |
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Frequently gets car sick, air sick, motion sick. |
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Holds onto walls or banisters. |
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Insecure about movement experiences. |
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May appear terrified of falling even when there is no real risk of it . |
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Afraid of heights, even the height of a curb or step . |
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Fearful of feet leaving the ground . |
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Fearful of going up or down stairs or walking on uneven surfaces . |
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Afraid of being tipped upside down, sideways or backwards; will strongly resist getting hair washed over the sink . |
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Startles if someone else moves them; i.e., pushing his/her chair closer to the table . |
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May be fearful of, and have difficulty riding a bike, jumping, hopping, or balancing on one foot (especially if eyes are closed) . |
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Fearful of activities which require good balance . |
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Fearful of jump up and down stairs, rolling in a barrel, climbing, leaning backwards, somersaults and swinging. |
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Loses balance easily and may appear clumsy . |
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Very clumsy on changeable surfaces, such as a field. |
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Balance and Movement |
Underreactive |
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Seeking |
Clumsy, lethargic. |
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Is a thrill seeker; loves fast and/or dangerous rides and sports. |
Slow to respond to movement demands. |
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Seeks out fast, spinning, and/or upside down carnival rides. |
Poor endurance, tires easily. |
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Restless when sitting through a lecture, presentation, or movie. |
Doesn't seem to get dizzy. |
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Craves movement. |
Might not catch self when falling or protect self from getting hurt; lacks reflexes. |
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Craves fast, spinning, and/or intense movement experiences. |
Does not enjoy or do well in sports. |
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Loves being tossed in the air. |
Often stumbles and falls. |
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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. |
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Loves the fast, intense, and/or scary rides at amusement parks. |
Confusion of right and left. |
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In constant motion, can't seem to sit still. |
Reversal of letters. |
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Always jumping on furniture, trampolines, spinning in a swivel chair, or getting into upside down positions. |
Delay in speech, reading, writing and visual perception. |
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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. |
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Always running, jumping, hopping etc. instead of walking. |
Trouble holding head up while sitting. |
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Likes sudden or quick movements, such as, going over a big bump in the car or on a bike. |
Delayed balance and equilibrium reactions. |
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Love of fast and moving equipment – without becoming dizzy. |
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Rocks in desk/chair. |
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Rocks body, shakes leg, or head while sitting. |
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Will often rock or sway body back and forth while seated or standing still. |
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Frequently tip chair on back two legs. |
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. |