Movement and Body Awareness

Children who have problems with body awareness and movement may have difficulty functioning in everyday life. This article explains the different types of problems these children may experience.

In this article, you will find:

What is body awareness?
Problems with the vestibular system
What to look for

What to look for

Common Signs of Movement Problems
There's a wide variation in how much children like movement. Yes, some are happiest curled up for hours with a good book, while others go stir crazy if they sit around too long. To determine if there's a problem, ask yourself whether your child...
  • is constantly on the move (can't sit still, fidgets);

  • dislikes – or craves – activities that require his feet to leave the ground or challenge his balance;

  • seems to have a stiff head, neck, and shoulders – or always holds his head straight;

  • hesitates or is afraid of climbing or descending stairs and playground equipment;

  • seems overly fearful – or fearless – of movement, heights, or falling;

  • gets dizzy very easily – or never gets dizzy;

  • becomes easily carsick or falls asleep immediately in a car (or bus, boat, train, airplane).
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