The Effects of Spinning on the Brain
Written By: Angie Voss, OTR
Think about it...spinning is probably the one thing, that if done long enough with the neuro-typical brain, it WILL cause some type of systemic reaction. Not just dizzy and falling over, I mean a REAL reaction like nausea or flushing of the face, or even tossing your cookies. This reaction happens for a reason...the brain is protecting itself from detrimental input and neurological impact on the brain, therefore it responds by telling you it is time to STOP by causing a systemic reaction.
This is why the fair and carnival have so many rides which spin you intensely and for long periods of time...they don't know why and what it is doing to the brain...all they know is it provokes an extreme reaction, especially when they switch directions on you when you have been spinning very fast for a long time.
Spinning is terribly misunderstood in the therapy community and also often used as the "go-to" technique for therapists attempting to incorporate sensory integration in to the treatment plan. Many parents of children with sensory differences also do not know enough about spinning, all they know is the child craves it...so it must be good for them. And then you throw in the child who does not register or under-registers rotary input and it is almost like a special little trick or talent that they show to others. We must help educate our community in understanding the powerful impact of spinning on the brain. Here are some basic facts and points to consider...
You are probably wondering...well what about the child who doesn't get dizzy and doesn't show any type of reaction to spinning? It is obviously still not doing it any good since it isn't registering the input. INSTEAD, have the child spin in prone extension, and control the spin to 1 revolution per second, spinning a maximum of 10 times then STOP (for a second or two) and then have the child spin the other way. This way the brain begins to learn to register the rotary input. The uncontrolled and unlimited spinning is not the answer.
I have witnessed in the clinic many, many times over the years a child first assessed who does not display a PRN at all...no reaction. Then, even after a few sessions and addressing the vestibular system correctly, a PRN is elicited! It is an incredible moment, yet often very scary for the child at first, because they have NEVER had the feeling of being dizzy.
So here is what I would love for you to walk away with after reading this...and PLEASE share this and spread the word!
This is why the fair and carnival have so many rides which spin you intensely and for long periods of time...they don't know why and what it is doing to the brain...all they know is it provokes an extreme reaction, especially when they switch directions on you when you have been spinning very fast for a long time.
Spinning is terribly misunderstood in the therapy community and also often used as the "go-to" technique for therapists attempting to incorporate sensory integration in to the treatment plan. Many parents of children with sensory differences also do not know enough about spinning, all they know is the child craves it...so it must be good for them. And then you throw in the child who does not register or under-registers rotary input and it is almost like a special little trick or talent that they show to others. We must help educate our community in understanding the powerful impact of spinning on the brain. Here are some basic facts and points to consider...
- Rotary vestibular input (spinning) is the most powerful form of sensory input that the brain takes in to process
- 15 minutes of vestibular input can have a 6-8 hour impact (good or bad) on the brain and self-regulation
- Some children with sensory challenges do not register rotary input at all and lack a post rotary nystagmus (PRN)
- Some children with sensory challenges over-register rotary input to the point that one rotation can cause a significant response and a systemic reaction.
- It is possible to register rotary input correctly in one direction, but not the other. So basically, a child could handle spinning or detect the feeling of spinning when going to the left, but not at all to the right.
You are probably wondering...well what about the child who doesn't get dizzy and doesn't show any type of reaction to spinning? It is obviously still not doing it any good since it isn't registering the input. INSTEAD, have the child spin in prone extension, and control the spin to 1 revolution per second, spinning a maximum of 10 times then STOP (for a second or two) and then have the child spin the other way. This way the brain begins to learn to register the rotary input. The uncontrolled and unlimited spinning is not the answer.
I have witnessed in the clinic many, many times over the years a child first assessed who does not display a PRN at all...no reaction. Then, even after a few sessions and addressing the vestibular system correctly, a PRN is elicited! It is an incredible moment, yet often very scary for the child at first, because they have NEVER had the feeling of being dizzy.
So here is what I would love for you to walk away with after reading this...and PLEASE share this and spread the word!
- Spinning needs to be controlled, supervised, and monitored with our children who have sensory differences
- Teach your child to spin no more than 10 times in one direction at 1 spin/revolution per second...then stop briefly, then spin the other direction
- For those children who do not get dizzy, encourage spinning in prone extension (on tummy) to help the brain learn to register the feeling of rotary input, along with following the two items above
- Spinning is incredibly powerful and the brain may need a long time to process the input
- Swinging in linear planes in prone extension and full body flexion are SO much more important and beneficial for the brain in regards to the power sensation of vestibular input. Focus more on this type of swinging rather than so much spinning.