myfatherslily Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 A couple of today's threads got me thinking... Has anyone else had a child who is terrified of being upside down?? My DD will turn 8 in April and has not yet done a somersault, ever. Not on purpose anyway! From the time she was a very small, she's screamed and cried if we even almost tip her backwards. She is scared of any activity where she might fall (she won't do the safe zip line at the kids' science center, she's scared of ice or roller skating, she didn't ride her bike without training wheels or swing by herself until her 2-years-younger brother did them first). How can I help her work through these fears? She certainly doesn't have to be athletic. She has lots of other skills (her fine motor skills are awesome!!). I just don't want her to be scared of somersaults, you know?? Why's she so afraid of being upside down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Sounds like sensory integration problems. I would ask the pediatrician for a referrel to an OT for an eval. You also might check out The Out of Sync Child Has Fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 My ds8 is like this. He has developmental coordination disorder (just diagnosed). It's really not a terrible thing (I've started threads where people start chiming in about disorders and then I get freaked out)... it's just part of "him." He has trouble with SOME gross motor skills, bodily awareness, balance. Being upside down (or even just picked up quickly by dh to play) freaks him out. So we work around it and don't try to make him get over it. :) ETA: In terms of the WHY (like you asked), I think that for my ds, it's control. He doesn't normally feel in control of his body as much as he'd like (b/c, due to a neurological quirk, he isn't) -- so being LESS in control is scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 My DD will turn 8 in April and has not yet done a somersault, ever. Not on purpose anyway! From the time she was a very small, she's screamed and cried if we even almost tip her backwards. She is scared of any activity where she might fall (she won't do the safe zip line at the kids' science center, she's scared of ice or roller skating, she didn't ride her bike without training wheels or swing by herself until her 2-years-younger brother did them first). How can I help her work through these fears? She certainly doesn't have to be athletic. She has lots of other skills (her fine motor skills are awesome!!). I just don't want her to be scared of somersaults, you know?? Why's she so afraid of being upside down? Did she ever take or nearly take a nasty fall when she was a baby or a toddler? Maybe she nearly fell out of her crib once when you weren't in the room and she was feeling particularly adventurous, and scared herself. All I can think of is that something scared her when she was little -- and she probably has no recollection of the actual event, but she remembers being afraid, so it made her afraid of being upside-down. I'll bet she will outgrow a lot of her fear as she gets older, especially if no one makes a big deal about it, but even if she doesn't, many people have different fears and phobias and they get through life just fine. I would encourage her to try new things, but not pressure her if she gets scared. As she gets older and is better able to express exactly what she's feeling, it may be a lot easier to help her face and overcome her fears. At 8, she probably just knows she's scared, but she most likely can't articulate exactly why. I think the most important thing is to be sure she doesn't feel like there's something wrong with her because of her fear. Really, it's just one thing. If you said she was afraid of being upside-down, and then you said she also had a dozen other phobias, I would see more reason for immediate concern, but if this is her only issue, I would just try to gently ease her into trying a few new things over time, and leave it at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Sounds like sensory integration problems. I would ask the pediatrician for a referrel to an OT for an eval. You also might check out The Out of Sync Child Has Fun. :iagree:Somersaults are a marker for sensory issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfatherslily Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Hmm, interesting! I haven't even thought of sensory issues. She really doesn't have any other issues, though. I'll look into it a bit. As far as falls when she was little, she did have three pallid breath-holding spells at ages 1-2. Each of these were brought on by a small fall backward and a slight bump to the head. The first time, she was just a year old and slipped to her bottom first, then tipped backward and lightly bumped her head on a tile floor. Next thing I knew, she was stiff and her eyes were rolling back and we were calling 911! Scared me to death! Two minutes later, she was perfectly back to normal, not even upset (she was seen by a dr). It hasn't happened since she was 2, but honestly, I'm not sure she's had a fall since then! She's so careful! So I really don't know if the fear is a result of that, or if it was a result of her fear, or if it's completely coincidental and unrelated. Easing her into new things seems like the most reasonable answer, given that she doesn't have any other sensory issues (though I'll try to remember to mention it to her dr next time she has a check-up). This evening I've been doing a little web-searching and have a few simple ideas, like doing the yoga downward-facing-dog or leaning over the bed. Just recently I got her to put her face underwater in the tub, thanks to a sticker chart points system that earns reward once they reach a certain number of points. Little brother is waaaay ahead of her, but still, she's putting her face under the water very briefly! Maybe I'll mention a couple other ways she can earn points for her "Bravery Chart". :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 ?? Sounds like a fairly common childhood fear to me, that doesn't need to be labeled quite yet. My brother was terrified of being upside-down and he outgrew it in a few years. (Btw, we figured out that there was an actual event that scared him, causing this.) Really, is it so necessary to be upside-down that the child needs to be tested for something?? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Sounds like sensory integration problems. I would ask the pediatrician for a referrel to an OT for an eval. You also might check out The Out of Sync Child Has Fun. :iagree: carol kranowitz also has a website. and sensory-processing-disorder.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 ?? Sounds like a fairly common childhood fear to me, that doesn't need to be labeled quite yet. My brother was terrified of being upside-down and he outgrew it in a few years. (Btw, we figured out that there was an actual event that scared him, causing this.) Really, is it so necessary to be upside-down that the child needs to be tested for something?? :confused: Your brother had an experience that generated a psychological response. That is VERY different than a PHYSICAL response because of a developmental problem that is easily treated - but rarely just "outgrown". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elcmum Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I actually have this issue and still suffer from it. As a child I was deathly afraid of being dunked in the ocean and flipped upside down, or doing a handstand and flopping over. Even during gymnastics as a teen I refused to go upside down on the uneven bars, to the point I would have panic attacks during practice. I still have the fear. I won't go on rides at the fair with my kids that would have me hang upside-down or even dive into a pool. I don't recall ever having some sort of traumatic issue... It is just something I have grown to live with. Honestly, the main thing I don't like about it is the feeling of lack of control I have over my body (drowning, falling from heights, etc) and also the hatred of thawing dizzy. I honestly wouldn't push your daughter. The fear is very real and traumatizing, and yes, embarrassing too. I just think my quirk makes me unique, and I've figured out ways over time to adjust and adapt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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