February 1, 2024

Gravitational Insecurity

Gravitational insecurity refers to an excessive fear of ordinary movement, being out of an upright position, or having one's feet off the ground.

WHAT IS GRAVITATIONAL INSECURITY?

Gravitational insecurity refers to an excessive fear of ordinary movement, being out of an upright position, or having one’s feet off the ground. Children with this fear are uncomfortable with gravity, and their reactions are out of proportion to any real danger that exists or to any postural deficits the child may have.

WHAT CAUSES GRAVITATIONAL INSECURITY?

Gravitational insecurity is a form of over-responsiveness to vestibular sensations detected by the otolith organs. Otolith organs (located in the inner ear) detect linear movement through space and the pull of gravity. Gravitational insecurity is associated with poor otolithic vestibular processing.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILD HAS GRAVITATIONAL INSECURITY?

Children with gravitational insecurity may display a fear of heights or be overwhelmed by changes in head position. Often they exhibit unwarranted fear, anxiety, or avoidance of stairs, elevators, high playground equipment, or uneven surfaces. These children tend to move slowly and carefully and may refuse to participate in gross motor activities.

HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD OVERCOME GRAVITATIONAL INSECURITY?

Sensory integration therapy is commonly used to treat gravitational insecurity. By providing your child with graded vestibular information, he can learn to process information more effectively. Sensory experiences are introduced slowly and gradually so your child does not perceive these experiences negatively.

Our approach at North Shore Pediatric Therapy

At North Shore Pediatric Therapy, our occupational therapists use a multisensory approach to help guide your child to explore his environment through stimulation of his vestibular system. This is accomplished by encouraging your child to climb, swing, jump, roll, and crawl—all things which shake his comfort zone a bit. We will create a “just right” challenge for your child, which allows him to gradually begin to participate in activities which he once found terrifying. We do not push your child; we simply encourage him in ways we are confident he can succeed.

Download our Guide for Families

We know that choosing a local ABA facility can be a hard decision. We’ve created an informational guide to help you understand more about the questions you should be asking while meeting with different providers.

Although we talk about our services here, our highest goal is for you to feel comfortable and knowledgeable about picking a provider that is the best fit for your needs. You are making a decision that will impact the entire trajectory of your child’s life!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
The cover of the NSPT Guide for Families, which helps families to figure out the questions to ask when picking an ABA provider.

Testimonials

Success looks different for every child... But we bet we have a story that matches your child's needs. Like James, who started with us as non-speaking and lacking the ability to initiate and maintain social interactions. Today, he can speak complete sentences, clearly state his needs, and navigate social interactions with his friends!

Our infant daughter was in physical therapy with Anna Zahn for about five months.  Anna was consistent, patient, and wonderful with our daughter.  Anna was also clear in her communications with us as parents which helped us understand our daughter's progress and needs, as well as how we could help our daughter at home.  While we are proud that our daughter graduated PT, we will miss Anna's warmth and kindness.

Emily

I love this place! Chista is an amazing person, so sweet and kind and very professional in her work. All staff are very kind with children. I feel happy to find this place for my daughter. Thank you!!!

Maria Di Rita

I cannot say enough nice things about the staff! My son worked with Khadija as his ABA therapist and is finishing up this week with his OT, Sabrina. They were really instrumental in helping us navigate a new diagnosis. Both were so easy to approach with questions. From Leeann at the front desk to the RBTs (Alex, Rabbia, Molly, and many others), we always felt so welcomed. It seems like the staff genuinely enjoy their jobs, consistently offering feedback and suggestions on how to help my son.

Jennifer Peyer

We have been working with the amazing team at NSPT for many years. They have been essential in understanding and supporting our child. I recommend their services to anyone looking for their specific type of support.Posted to

Monica Terése Carranza

They are so sweet and kinds persons with professionalism and really worried about the kids and how help they to get new skills and moving forward with knowledge.

Alejandra M.

NSPT is fantastic! All of the staff are wonderful, accomodating, and make you feel welcome and comfortable. Alan is fantastic - he has helped our family tremendously and has such patience and purpose in everything he does.

Alex Ehrhardt

North Shore Pediatric Therapy has been amazing.  They have done a great job adjusting to the specific needs of my autistic child.

Matt Nakanishi

My 12 yr old son has a lovely support team in Robert (Social Work) and Lindsay (OT)! He gains so much from his sessions & I gain so much from the communication and brainstorming! Thanks!

Jennie Meyer

Contact us to get started

  • 1
    Submit an inquiry form
    Completing this secure form helps us understand how we can serve you.
  • 2
    We'll reach out to you!
    One of our dedicated team members will connect with you to discuss services, your insurance benefits, and your family’s needs.
  • 3
    Paperwork & insurance
    We'll review and confirm your insurance benefits, and we'll work with you to gather additional paperwork required and discuss financial expectations based on insurance.
  • 4
    Treatment personalization
    We'll schedule an assessment date for your child with one of our clinicians. This assessment will serve as the basis for your child’s personalized treatment plan. After, we'll meet to discuss recommendations and your child’s treatment plan and start date.
  • 5
    Start making progress!
    We will greet and welcome your child to our warm and supportive environment where our staff will provide 1-on-1 care to meet our treatment goals.