Vestibular Swing

We all have 7 main senses that allow us to interpret everything that goes on in our lives. Those senses are touch, sight, sound, taste, smell, body position, and balance.

Kids and Adults with Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) don’t process all their senses the way we do. For us, sensory integration uses sensations from the body and the environment and organizes them into usable information to initiate and guide action. Every brain is constantly bombarded with sensations that must be correlated, interpreted, and then acted on. Most of the time this process is smooth, effortless and automatic. When it is not smooth and automatic, sensory integrative dysfunction is the result.

The Vestibular swing is used in therapy to help regulate and “rewire” the senses. Movement is essential for typical development to occur in all children. Swinging can have a powerful impact on the brain’s ability to process and use sensory information. Whether the child is linear swinging on a strap swing, cuddled up in a net swing for proprioceptive input or spinning in a rotating movement, all of these movements can act as a powerful activator on the body’s systems. Kids will either love the swing or try to avoid it. We still use the swing with those who avoid it because these senses are essential in understanding the world around us; this way they can become more comfortable with their senses in a safe environment.