Sensory Processing Disorder
Authored by: The DrSensory Editorial Team
Reviewed by: 🛡️ DrSensory Clinical Review Board
Last updated: June 2026
Key Takeaways
- The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, helps maintain balance, posture, and spatial orientation by detecting movement and changes in head position.
- The proprioceptive system relies on receptors in the muscles and joints to tell the brain about body position, pressure, and movement, supporting coordination and motor planning.
- In SPD, dysfunction in these systems can cause poor balance, clumsiness, fear of movement, or sensory-seeking behaviors like crashing into furniture and constant fidgeting.
- Occupational therapy using a sensory integration approach is the most effective treatment, using play-based vestibular and proprioceptive activities to retrain the brain's sensory pathways.
- Consistency and repetition are key, because the brain adapts over time to improve sensory integration and self-regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between vestibular and proprioceptive processing?
The vestibular system, in the inner ear, manages balance, posture, and spatial orientation by detecting movement and head position. The proprioceptive system uses receptors in the muscles and joints to signal the brain about body position, pressure, and movement, helping with coordination and motor planning.
How can I tell if my child has vestibular processing challenges?
A child with vestibular challenges may be overly fearful of movement (such as hating swings, climbing, or elevators) or, conversely, extremely active and constantly spinning or jumping. Other signs include poor balance, frequent falls or bumping into things, getting motion sick easily, and being uncoordinated in activities that require balance or head control.
Why does my child crash, stomp, or push too hard?
These can be signs of proprioceptive dysfunction. Children may push too hard with a pencil, slam doors unknowingly, seek deep pressure by crashing, stomping, or biting, and seem unaware of their own strength or body boundaries, often seeking heavy work, deep pressure, or resistance activities to feel grounded in their bodies.
What therapy helps with vestibular and proprioceptive dysfunction?
Occupational therapy with a sensory integration approach is the most effective treatment. Therapists use play-based activities such as swinging, bouncing, and spinning in controlled settings, balance beams and obstacle courses, weighted blankets and compression vests, and heavy work like pushing, pulling, carrying, and climbing.
What sensory tools can I use at home to support my child?
Parents and caregivers can reinforce therapy at home with tools like indoor sensory swings, sit-n-spin toys, mini-trampolines, scooter boards, weighted vests and lap pads, therapy putty or resistance bands, and body socks.
