The Vestibular System and Proprioception – The Sixth and Seventh Senses

We all know about the five senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch – but, did you know there are actually two more senses – vestibular and proprioception? Just like the other five senses, the sixth and seventh senses are developed in childhood, and are important throughout your life. Vestibular and proprioception are important for balance and how you understand and react to your environment. We’ll take you through these senses and how you can help your little one with their development.

Related: A Guide to the Seven Senses

Vestibular

Vestibular (or the vestibular system) is known as the “balance centre”. This sense is all about movement. It receives information about the body’s movements, including speed of movement. Put simply, the vestibular system is important for balance and awareness of the body’s movement. This helps with coordinating the movement of the head with the eyes, allows you to use both sides of your body at the same time, and helps you to remain upright.

The receptors for the vestibular sense are found in the inner ear and are stimulated by changes in the head position, telling you if and how your body is moving.

Activities for Vestibular Stimulation

To develop any sense, your child has to activate them. Activities that target the vestibular system include:

• Jumping
• Swinging
• Sliding
• Rocking back and forth
• Spinning

Symptoms of Vestibular Dysfunction

Just like the other senses, the vestibular system can be dysfunctional. Signs to look out for include:

• Clumsiness
• Poor postural control, such as often falling off chairs
• Unsteadiness when walking, likely to want to stabilise themselves with their hands or moves cautiously
• Gets dizzy extremely easily or doesn’t get dizzy even with excessive spinning
• Poor hand-to-eye coordination
• Poor safety awareness

If you are concerned about your child’s vestibular development, contact your GP.

Proprioception

Proprioception tells us where our body is in relation to the environment. It gives information on the direction you are facing, how close you are to obstacles,the amount of pressure being used to move the body, and more. This is important for body awareness and developing motor skills.

The sensors for this sense are found in muscles and joints. These receptors send information on where our body is and how much force is being used to our brains. This also helps with regulating sensory input and even emotional responses.

Activities for Proprioceptive Stimulation

To help your little one develop proprioception they can take part in activities such as:

• Pulling and pushing objects
• Climbing
• Sucking through a straw
• Carrying objects
• Painting and colouring

Symptoms of Proprioception Dysfunction

If your child has an issue with their proprioception, they can show symptoms such as:

• Poor posture
• Weakened muscles
• Holding writing implements too tightly or too loosely
• Difficulty judging distances
• Frequently bumping into objects
• Prefers tight clothing and deep pressure
• Plays too roughly with others

If you are concerned about your child’s proprioception development, contact your GP.

Toys for Developing the Vestibular and Proprioception Senses

Like the well-known senses, there are plenty of toys that can help develop your little ones vestibular and proprioception. This helps with the development of sensory integration, and is an import part of your child’s development.

Sensory play is a great way to help children develop all their senses. Some toys that can help with the vestibular and proprioception senses include:

• Swings
• Slides
• Sand pits
• Slime and putty
• Colouring sets

The senses and sensory integration should develop naturally as your little one grows. However, you can help them with this by providing toys and encouraging activities that stimulate the senses, and this is true for vestibular and proprioception. Find out more about child development so you can help your little one as they grow.

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