The vestibular sense is one of the seven senses that many people use without thinking but for many autistic individuals the sense of:
- Moving in space,
- Figuring out where you are in space
is difficult, as the connection of communication from the inner ear is severed in a way that hinders the ability to move fluently. Some Autistic individuals will misjudge walking through a doorway or by a table in which they may bump themselves.
The proprioceptive sense helps to manage how much pressure you should use to close a door, push a button, or hold a delicate item. Many Autistic individuals find it difficult to be delicate with objects or themselves finding it a struggle to also judge the amount of pressure required for many every day tasks.
Interoception is an internal sense that helps you know when you are:
- Hot,
- Cold,
- Hungry,
- Thirsty,
- If you need to use the bathroom,
- Anxious, not feeling well,
- Pain
A lot of Autistic individuals suffer from this as you may find that many autistic individuals will miss breakfast, lunch and dinner at set times as their internal body clock is misaligned.
They have no thought for food and drink because of the lack of the internal sense, with many autistic individuals working for hours without a break. They rely on their proprioceptive sense taking over looking for pressure at times compensating for:
- Rumbling Stomach,
- Dizziness,
- slightly aching muscles
- Thirst.
Many Autistic individuals cannot:
- feel their heart beating
- know when to slow down in their daily tasks if they are working to a degree that warrants a small break.
Some Autistic individuals will get overwhelmed at times with what is going in internally as they have little idea unless it is explained in a manageable and approachable way.
What Other People Say
The vestibular sense contributes to many peoples ability to maintain balance and body posture. The vestibular organs are fluid filled and have hair cells, like the ones found in the auditory system, which respond to movement of the head and gravitational forces. When these hair cells are stimulated, they send signals to the brain via the vestibular nerve. Although many people will not be consciously aware of the vestibular systems sensory information under normal circumstances, its importance is apparent when people experience motion sickness or dizziness related to infections of the inner ear. (Khan & Chang 2013)
In addition to maintaining balance, the vestibular system collects information critical for controlling movement and the reflexes that move various parts of the body to compensate for changes in body position. (Lumen Introduction to psychology)
Proprioception refers to the body’s ability to perceive its own position in space. For example proprioception enables a person to close their eyes and touch their nose with their index finger, knowing whether feet are on soft grass or hard cement without looking (even while wearing shoes), balancing on one leg and throwing a ball without having to look at the throwing arm.
In addition, proprioception allows the body to perform simultaneous actions without stopping to think about each one separately such as running while dribbling a basketball. Proprioception is necessary for precise and fluid movements making it essential for athletes and non-athletes alike.
Proprioception relies on the relationship between the body’s central nervous system and certain soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. (BY: Leython Williams, PT, DPT)
Interoception. As for those on the Autism Spectrum, this paper reported, “Those in the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) group reported a clinically significant lower body and thirst awareness compared to the control group. These findings are of clinical importance, as difficulty with sensing internal bodily states could theoretically impact on the physical, mental health, social interactions and self awareness of adults with ASD.
By tuning the Mind to recognise the physical symptoms of stress in the body, we can better work through stressful situations. We can also use that heightened emotional intelligence to our advantage. L. Feine and C. Brownlow of the School of psychology and counselling, university of Southern Queensland
Silent Assassin 