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Glossary

Vestibular System

The inner-ear system that senses head movement and position, keeping you balanced and oriented.

The vestibular system lives in the inner ear and detects every shift in head position, forward, backward, sideways, rotational, upside down. It works with vision and proprioception to keep you upright, balanced, and aware of your orientation in space. Children with under-responsive vestibular systems often seek intense movement, spinning, swinging, jumping off furniture, because their brains need the extra input. Over-responsive children may avoid slides, refuse to tip their head back for shampoo, or get carsick easily. Vestibular input is a core ingredient in sensory integration therapy: swings, scooter boards, and therapy balls are not toys, but calibrated tools.