02/27/2026
Does your child struggle with attention issues? Do they seem to be in constant motion with boundless energy? If so, you need to check something called post-rotary nystagmus. Post-rotary nystagmus is a reflexive eye response after the body stops rotating (looks like the eyes are moving rapidly after spinning). When the response is abnormal (too short or too long) you might see associated symptoms such as: sensory seeking behaviors, car/motion sickness, balance, spatial awareness, attention, and motor planning.
To check it: Put the child on a swing or spinning chair, have the child close their eyes, and tilt they head slightly down. Spin them 10x in one direction at 1-2 rotations per second. Stop them and have them look into your eyes. You should see the eyes bouncing back and forth for about 10 seconds. Repeat in the other direction.
If you see no response, this shows their vestibular system is underdeveloped and is not processing vestibular (movement) input. No wonder they never seem to calm down!
Provide vestibular input regularly to your child through spinning, swinging, jumping, rolling, and hanging upside down. Repeat the post-rotary nystagmus test often to see if they are starting to show a response. By providing more vestibular input, their system will begin to develop!
