Which term describes extreme fear and anxiety to vestibular sensations, with avoidance of feet off the ground or head-down positions?

• A. Gravitational insecurity
• B. Visual vertigo
• C. Auditory hypersensitivity
• D. Proprioceptive under-responsiveness

Answer: (A)

Gravitational insecurity describes an exaggerated fear and anxiety in response to vestibular sensations, leading to avoidance of activities that involve gravity or changes in head position. This means a child may actively avoid being off the ground or in head-down positions, and may fear activities like swinging, climbing, or even standing with feet off the floor. The vestibular system detects motion and changes in orientation relative to gravity, so when a child experiences these sensations as threatening, they create protective avoidance behaviors.

This pattern is distinct from visual vertigo, which is dizziness triggered by visual surroundings and not an inherent fear of vestibular input; auditory hypersensitivity, which involves sensitivity to sounds rather than movement-related fear; and proprioceptive under-responsiveness, which is about a reduced awareness of body position and pressure rather than a fear of vestibular sensations.