English (United Kingdom) 
Русский (Россия) Vestibular (Balance)
Children with autism might not be receiving or processing vestibular information effectively. It is possible that, instead of augmenting accurate vestibular information, the visual and proprioceptive systems are providing all the information they use to navigate the world. This may help to explain some of the difficulties children with autism have in moving their eyes to a target (such as someone's eyes), sequencing and connections between events and situations (knowing what comes next), and navigation through the environment (as opposed to being lead).
Located deep within the skull, on either side of the head within the inner ear, the vestibular system provides "a unique and complete description of head motion and orientation in three dimensions" by providing information regarding:
• "Self" versus "non-self" motion (are we moving, or are things moving around us?)
• Spatial orientation
• Navigation
• Voluntary movement
• Ocular-motor (eye-movement) control.
A dysfunctional vestibular system, a common problem in autism, may be responsible for toe walking. The vestibular system provides the brain with feedback regarding body motion and position. It may be possible to reduce or eliminate toe walking by providing the person with therapeutic vestibular stimulation (e.g., being swung on a glider swing).
Vestibular Stimulation
When looking at designing a sensory diet for your child, you want to take a close look at the type of vestibular stimulation that your child is receiving. There is a difference between swinging on a regular playground swing versus fast spinning on the tire swing. One provides linear, rhythmic, predictable vestibular input and another provides rotary, sometimes arrhythmic, unpredictable vestibular input, especially if the tire swing has multiple kids jumping on/off and changing up the directions.
One type of swinging is calming and organizing (linear, rhythmic) while the other is alerting (rotary). An informed sensory diet will include specifically targeted vestibular activities to meet your child's individual sensory profile.
Alerting qualities of vestibular input can include:
- Unexpected, rapid movement
- Bumpy, jerky movement
- Changing direction
- Bouncing
- Head inversion (upside down)
Calming qualities of vestibular input can include:
- Slow, rhythmic movement
- Linear movement (one direction)
- Slow movement provided with deep pressure
- Predictable movement
The considerations for vestibular input also extend to how your child is moving - is he laying on his belly on the swing? Sitting upright? Hanging upside down? Laying on his side? When you change positions, you change which inner ear canals are activated by the movement. Again, this should be a consideration when selecting your child's movement activities.
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT)
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is a form of physical therapy that uses specialized exercises that result in gaze and gait stabilization. Most VRT exercises involve head movement that are essential in stimulating and retraining the vestibular system
GyroStim is FDA-cleared for the treatment of balance disorders, vestibular dysfunction, and associated symptoms that may result from injury, illness, and neurological or aging-related conditions. Officially designated by the FDA as a Breakthrough Medical Device, GyroStim presents patients, clinicians, and insurance providers with a long-overdue paradigm shift of improved treatment capabilities, faster recovery, reduced costs, and better outcomes. Most importantly, GyroStim is improving the quality of life for countless individuals by helping them find their breakthrough.
The GyroStim is is a computer-controlled, multi-axis rotating chair integrated with an interactive laser targeting system. It spins you across multiple planes while you uses lasers to fire at targets placed throughout your field of vision. Its technology and methodology are combined to create an advanced training system available for therapy, rehabilitation, and athletic performance enhancement strategies. Controlled by a computer, participants can see strengths and weaknesses, reaction times, and proficiency with hand-eye coordination.
Draft
Add our experience and Nael's pictures
Specialists
Northern California
Miller Chiropractic - Functional Neurology
Research
Effect of Vestibular Rehabilitation in Autistic Children