Motion Sickness and Dizziness

by Sonia Story

Have you ever wondered why some children love roller coaster rides and other children avoid them? Why can some children go on long car rides on curving roads, but other children get nauseated in the car?

Most likely, the difference lies in how well the child’s head control and vestibular system were developed in infancy and early childhood. The development of head control is vital for sensory processing systems to work together effectively. Head control is so important that it is one of the first things an infant begins to develop after birth. This is underscored by the significant number of reflexes that involve head and neck movement, including: Moro, Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex, Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, Headrighting, and others.

When these primitive reflexes do not reach maturity, it is often associated with motion sickness and a tendency to get dizzy when the head moves. Motion sickness is not only uncomfortable, it can also provoke anxiety.

Many individuals have found that a combination of rhythmic movements, TLR, and Moro integration can help with motion sickness.

Years ago a mother called me about her 8-year-old daughter Bella, who struggled with motion sickness and near-constant queasiness—even after undergoing extensive sensory integration therapy with an occupational therapist. Because of the nausea, I wondered if gut issues were involved and I recommended seeking help from a doctor or nutritionist. However, this mother had already taken her daughter to numerous specialists with no resolution of the queasiness. When I met Bella I noticed that her pupils seemed unusually large—indicating that perhaps Bella’s nervous system was underdeveloped and stuck in a state of fight or flight. I also learned that Bella was sensitive to light, sound, touch, and motion.

These were clues to me that most likely Bella’s Moro reflex was unintegrated (active) and could use some help to mature and integrate (become dormant). When the Moro reflex is unintegrated, it can leave the sensory systems in agitated, underdeveloped states. I also knew that if Moro and the Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) are active, individuals are likely to experience vestibular underdevelopment and sensory processing issues; which could result in poor balance, nausea, and motion sickness.

After 2 months of doing her movement program of innate rhythmic movements and reflex integration, Bella's queasiness changed, but did not go away. She was still experiencing queasiness, but now it was intermittent rather than constant. When Bella did experience nausea, she reported that it was more intense for her than before.

Bella’s mother continued with their home movement program, and by the 4^th month the episodes of queasiness were nearly gone. They became far less frequent and much less intense. What a relief!

Since working with Bella, I have witnessed many other individuals—children and adults—resolve their motion sickness with consistent use of these simple yet powerful movements. We have seen the most success for addressing motion sickness and dizziness when we use a combination of innate rhythmic movements, Moro reflex integration, and Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex integration. Other reflexes may also be helpful, depending on the individual.

The great thing about these movements is that, even if we skipped or missed the full amount of them in infancy it is never too late to benefit from doing them. This is because the brain and body automatically recognize and respond to these movements, using them as fuel to continue the positive progress toward optimal development. Here is a wonderful example of this principle: One therapist using these tools helped a 55-year-old man eliminate his life-long motion sickness. This man was able to go on a boat trip vacation with his wife for the first time, and enjoy it.

While neurodevelopmental movements may not help with motion sickness in every case, it is worth giving them a try since they are non-invasive and often highly effective.

See how these individuals were able to overcome challenges with motion sickness after using the neurodevelopmental movements:

See related case studies showing how balance and vestibular challenges can be addressed with primitive reflex integration and innate rhythmic movements.