Course:KIN355/2020 Projects/Non-Locomotor Behaviours - 'Rocking'.

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Defining the Concept and Its Importance

Nonlocomotor Skills – Rocking

‘Rocking’ can be classified as a type of rhythmic movement which usually involves stereotypical whole body actions such as moving limbs in a repetitive manner (Cleveland Clinic, 2020). In most cases, the movement of body rocking usually occurs with the child on their hands and knees, where the entire body is rocked back and forth (Cleveland Clinic 2020). Its is important to recognize when body rocking can be assumed a ‘natural’ movement versus a repetitive stereotypical behaviour. When the behaviour of body rocking is shown at night, this is deemed as ‘normal’ and a common way for a child to fall asleep. However by the age of 5, ‘rocking’ is usually only seen in less than 5% of healthy children (Cleveland Clinic, 2020).

Furthermore, when occurring during other times of day, or after the accepted age of 5, body rocking is often deemed as a repetitive and purposeless movement which can signify increased stress, anxiety, excitement, or boredom (Mackenzie, 2018). It is also important to note that body rocking is deemed as a complex motor stereotype, and its prevalence is reported at about 3-4%, while other simple motor stereotypies such as leg shaking or nail biting are reported to have a prevalence of 20-70% (Mackenzie, 2018). The drastic differences in the above prevalence between the stereotypical behaviours indicate that behaviours such as body rocking are less common and may cause concern for further investigation in each individual child.

Moreover, the act of rocking is a movement that targets the vestibular system. The vestibular system provides information through the inner ear that tells us about our head position and how we are moving (Georgia, 2017). It helps you coordinate the movement of your head with your eyes, enables you to use both sides of your body at the same time, tells you which direction you’re going and how fast, and enables you to remain upright (Georgia, 2017). Overall, this system has to do with balance and movement and allows us to move smoothly and efficiently. When rocking, you are directly stimulating this system (Georgia, 2017).

'Rocking' and ASD

To expand on the importance of distinguishing between body rocking as a ‘normal’ behaviour versus a purposeless stereotypical one, we must recognize that stereotypical movements in children can interfere with their social interaction skills, academic achievements, and even potentially lead to injuries (Valente et al., 2019). It is difficult for parents to be willing to distinguish a stereotypical habit from a normal one as stereotypies in childhood could indicate the presence of different conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (Valente et al., 2019). In addition, interference against such movements by the parents often accompanies a negative response from children, as most children with stereotypies such as body rocking report the motion to be a ‘pleasant experience’ (Mackenzie, 2018).

However, the recognition of the unnatural emergence of body rocking is crucial to early interventions for conditions such as ASD. These interventions can improve the child’s cognitive, social, and adaptive skills which in turn can result in a more manageable long-term prognosis (Martin, C., Vibert, B., & Kim, S, 2018).

The figure on the left shows other signs for parents and teachers to watch out for if they suspect that their child’s body rocking is a symptom of ASD and not a natural movement pattern (Martin, C., Vibert, B., & Kim, S, 2018). It is essential to recognize that not all abnormal body rocking behaviour is a predictor for ASD, and other signs will also accompany the diagnosis of this condition (Inspiring, 2020).

Role in Childhood Development and Contemporary Considerations

When stereotypic nonfunctional movements of one’s child are brought to parents attention as ‘disruptive’, ‘habitual’, or ‘interfering’, it is in a parent’s nature to become growingly concerned and direct more of their attention to the behaviours their child is engaging in (Valente et al., 2019). However, it is difficult to distinguish between a habit such as body rocking, which is categorized as a complex motor sterotype, and nail biting or leg shaking, which are both said to be primary simple motor stereotypes with a more normalized view to most people due to their high prevalence among children (Mackenzie, 2018). In addition, conditions that have been proposed in order to distinguish such stereotypes remain limited and controversial, especially in non-clinical settings such as one’s household (Valente et al., 2019).

Distinguishing 'normal' behaviour from complex motor stereotypes.

The chief difficulty in dealing with such stereotypical behaviour also lies in the child’s perception of their behaviours. When asked about such habits, children with both primary simple and complex motor sterotypies report these behaviours as feeling “pleasant”, fulfilling, and “right”. (Mackenzie, 2018). If such actions were approached from a negative viewpoint by the child’s caretakers, a likely response of the child would be to mask or suppress these movements when others were around. While body rocking in an infant is in most cases harmless, and a behavioural pattern used by the toddler to fall asleep, a parent’s approach to attending to the child’s habits could result in more ‘harm than good’ (Cleveland Clinic, 2020). However, the problem still exists that if the existing behaviour was indeed interfering to a child’s development, no progress in development could further be made if parents were convinced the behaviour had subsided naturally (Mackenzie, 2018). Evidently, many controversies regarding the appropriate way to view stereotypies further limit the healthy development of the children themselves.

In addition to the above, the proper recognition and diagnosis of potential signs of neurological dysfunction such as body rocking are crucial to the management of such conditions in a child’s future. Although not all stereotypical movements are classified to be complex motor stereotypes, some can interfere with a child’s ability to interact socially, achieve academic potential, and engage in activities that could result in injury Valente et al., 2019). While caretakers and parents may be afraid to immediately write off a stereotypical behaviour, overlooking some of these habits may limit a child’s remission and resolution of the particular stereotype (Mackenzie, 2018). Furthermore, if a complex motor stereotype such as body rocking is known to interfere with reaching important milestones for development, certain skills such as a child’s language skills, eye contact, and positive social communication may never be fully achieved (Martin, C., Vibert, B., & Kim, S, 2018).

In consideration of the above, the main controversy for most childhood caretakers and parents remains around the same widespread question. How does one recognize and appropriately approach a potential stereotypical behaviour without doing more harm to the health and development of the child? Furthermore, it remains a tough task to remember and distinguish ‘normal’ behaviour of infants, toddlers, and children when paired with the concerns of being aware of stereotypical complex motor behaviour. Balancing this without ‘spooking’ the child is an unquestionably difficult task for all.

Rocking and the Vestibular System.

There are many activities that can help promote the development of a healthy vestibular system in a child. One of them being the non-locomotor skill of rocking. A child with a well-developed vestibular sense feels confident and safe during movement activities, even when their feet are off the ground (Georgia, 2017). They are able to start and stop movement activities calmly and with control. As well, they are comfortable with climbing, swinging, and jumping because they are confident that their body will adapt and that they will be able to maintain their balance and keep themselves from falling or injuring themselves.

What to keep in mind?

The image above shows children from infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood paired with a description of developmental milestones commonly reached at that age. It is crucial that caretakers, teachers, and parents keep this information in mind while approaching a potential situation in which concerns about behaviour are being raised. (Zelenina, 2020).

Practical Applications

Title: Row Your Boat

Purpose Statement: In this activity, participants will have the opportunity to engage in the non-locomotor skill of Rocking. Vestibular activities such as rocking, when used correctly, have the ability to calm and soothe a child, as well as improve many aspects of development like coordination, handwriting, attention, and reading. Most children develop a strong vestibular sense simply through engaging in everyday play activities that allow for exploration and movement. Row Your Boat is one of many activities that can help promote the development of a healthy vestibular system. This fun sensory activity involves gentle, repetitive rocking which is great for providing calming proprioceptive and vestibular input to the body. Thus, Row Your Boat can be beneficial for children who have a hard time regulating their behaviour and responses to sensory input in their environment. Engaging in this activity provides a few minutes of gentle rocking back and forth which is often enough to help a child regroup and refocus if they are feeling overwhelmed.

In addition to providing vestibular stimulation, this activity also invites children to experiment and explore the use of sounds and melodies. Music forms an important part of a child’s development by stimulating the speech and thinking areas of the brain. By combining music with the rocking movements, you are providing an opportunity for children to develop listening, language and other physical skills as they participate in this activity. In addition to the non-locomotor skill of rocking, other physical skill areas addressed include trunk strength and stability, sensory integration, strength, social skills, proprioception, motor control, and grasp.

Target Age: 3 - 8 years old

Apparatus/Equipment needed and Environmental space/ set-up: No equipment is needed, just an open space to play.

Instructions: Have two children position themselves so that they are facing each other in a tailor sitting position (otherwise known as “criss cross applesauce”). Have them reach out and hold hands in front of their bodies and begin to alternately push and pull so that their upper bodies rock forward and backward with each motion, like they’re rowing a boat. Have the children chant the following Row, Row, Row, Your Boat lyrics:

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily

Life is but a dream

Modifications:

Sing variations of the nursery rhyme such as the following:

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream

If you see an alligator

Don’t forget to scream

AHHH

Row, row, row your boat

Gently side to side

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily

Going for a ride

Challenge the children to make up their own rhymes.

Instead of singing Row Row Row Your Boat, have the children sing their favourite song as they do the activity, while rocking to the rhythm of the song.
Switch up the direction of the rocking (e.g. from forward and backwards to side to side).
Experiment with rocking and singing speed variations (e.g. fast and slow).
Add a third participant and have the group of three sit in a triangular shape. In this positioning, the children will rock from side to side.
Use cardboard boxes to create boats for the children to row in while singing the song.

Pictured here is a group of children engaging in the Row Your Boat activity in a classroom setting. Image from https://teachpreschool.org/2013/09/16/15-fabulous-fingerplays-and-facts/ by Author Deborah Stewart.

Title: Simon Says Rock!

Purpose Statement:

In this Rocking themed version of Simon Says, participants will have the opportunity to engage in the non-locomotor skill of Rocking. Rocking is one of the many activities that can help promote the development of a healthy vestibular system in children as it provides vestibular input which can have profound effects. Rocking also progresses a child’s balance skills. Through rocking on a chair, a rocking horse, or participating in this Rocking themed Simon Says, children will be able to develop their muscles and perfect their balance. This proves to be beneficial in the overall healthy motor development of the child.

In addition to the benefits stated above, this game is also an excellent way for a child to practice improving body awareness, while also incorporating other motor and non-locomotor skills, including rocking, balance, bilateral coordination, and other gross motor tasks. This game is also a simple way to practice learning and labeling body parts (e.g. “Simon Says touch your toes/nose”). Given the basis of the game, Simon Says is a great way to practice giving and following directions as well. Additionally, increasing the level of difficulty by adding in multi-step directions develops the participants’ sequencing skills (e.g. Simon Says do jumping jacks then rock on your back in a ball”). Skills that are developed in this Rocking themed version of Simon Says include rocking, body awareness, gross motor skills, listening skills, memory, vocabulary and thinking skills.

Target Age: 4 - 10

Apparatus/Equipment needed and Environmental space/ set-up: No equipment is needed, just an open space to play.

Instructions:

Within your group of players, designate one person to be Simon. Whoever is chosen to be Simon will then stand in front of and face the rest of the players in the group. The other participants must listen closely to what the leader, Simon, commands them to do.
If Simon gives a command by first stating, “Simon says…” the listeners must obey Simon’s command. If Simon gives a command without first saying, “Simon says…” the listeners must not obey his command.
The objective of the game for those who are not Simon is to follow directions and stay in the game for as long as possible. For these players, it is important to listen and pay very close attention to the commands given by Simon.
After Simon gives a command (assuming the command is preceded by, “Simon says…”), perform the command until Simon moves on to the next command. If the next command is not preceded by, “Simon says…” continue to perform or hold the previous command.
If a listener incorrectly obeys or does not obey Simon’s command, they are eliminated from the rest of the game round, and must sit out until another game round is started. The last player standing wins and becomes the next Simon.
If you are Simon, the objective is to try to trick the players to follow your commands when they shouldn’t. Because you are trying to eliminate as many listeners as you can, you should try and make your commands hard to follow. For example, frequently switch up when you give commands preceded with, “Simon says…” and try giving your commands quickly so your listeners have to make quick decisions on whether to obey your command or not.
When someone incorrectly obeys one of your (Simon’s commands), call them out so they can be eliminated from the remaining group of players still in the game.
As Simon, you can get creative with your commands; however, with this version of the game, Simon must incorporate commands with rocking movements. Examples include:

Simon Says rock backwards and forwards
Simon Says rock from side to side
Simon Says get on your hands and knees and rock back and forth
Simon Says rock from your heels to your toes
Simon Says get into ball and rock back and forth on your back
Simon Says get into a crouching position and rock from your feet to your bottom
Simon Says rock back and forth while clapping your hands
Simon Says rock side to side while patting your head

Modifications

Count your own strikes. This variation involves the listeners counting their own personal strikes when they incorrectly obey or don’t obey a command. Simon can set a number of strikes (three strikes, five strikes, etc.) and once a player reaches that amount of strikes, they are eliminated.
Add an aspect of sequence. To increase the difficulty for older participants, allow Simon to add as many sub-commands as they would like in a single command. For example, you can cluster together a sequence of actions to make it harder for your players to complete the whole command. The way you phrase your commands can also be a way to make it even more confusing for your players, helping create an even more engaging experience. An example would be: “Simon says say hello, after you touch your head, before rocking back and forth on your hands and knees” or “Clap three times once you’re done flapping your arms like a chicken while heel/toe rocking”
Position Your Players. Positioning your players in such a way that lets them see each other can shift the focus from paying attention to whether or not you said ‘Simon Says’, and towards how each one of them attempts to execute your commands. For instance, positioning two players face to face will force them to pay attention to how the other person understood your commands. This way, there’s the added challenge of decoding your commands versus either ignoring or following what the other person is doing. If they get confused and end up taking cues from the player in front of them, then there’s a 50-50 chance they could get it wrong.
Allow Simon to move. Every time Simon gives a command, have them stand up in front of the players and perform an action that’s completely different from the command they give. For instance, if Simon tells them to touch their head and then Simon touches their hips instead, the confusing visual will make it difficult for them to focus on what Simon says instead of what Simon does.

Pictured here is a group of children playing Simon Says in a classroom setting. Image from https://www.wypr.org/post/simon-says by Author Linnea Anderson

Summary

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References

Cleveland Clinic. (2020). Head banging and body rocking. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14305-head-banging-and-body-rocking\

Georgia, A. D. (2017). The Sensory defensive child: when the world is too bright, noise, and too close for comfort. Pediatric Disorders of Regulation in Affect and Behaviour, 2, 361-425. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-810423-1.00009-X

Inspiring. (Photographer). (2020, October 18th). Autism signs infographic for parent [digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/autism-signs-infographic-parent-mental-health-1240809916

Mackenzie, K. (2018). Stereotypic movement behaviours. Seminars in Pediatric Neurology, 25, 19-24. doi: 10.1016/j.spen.2017.12.004

Martin, C., Vibert, B., & Kim, S (2018, January 1^st). Evaluation and assessment of autism spectrum disorder. Autism Spectrum News. Retrieved from: https://autismspectrumnews.org/evaluation- and-assessment-of-autism-spectrum-disorder/

Valente, F., Pesola, C., Baglioni, V., Teresa Giannini, M., Chiarotti, F., Caravale, B., & Cardona, F. (2019). Developmental motor profile in preschool children with primary stereotypic movement disorder. BioMed Research International. doi:10.1155/2019/1427294

Walsh, Z., & Kosson, D. S. (2007). Psychopathy and violent crime: A prospective study of the influence of socioeconomic status and ethnicity. Law and Human Behavior, 31, 209-229. doi:10.1007/s10979-006-9057-5

Zelenina, N. (Photographer). (2020, October 18th). Set of child health and development icon [digital image]. Retrieved from https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/set-child-health-development-icon-infographic-1216191784