Anyone who’s soothed a fussing baby knows that gentle rocking often does the trick. The vestibular (balance-related) stimulation that rocking creates is certainly a part of that.
Equally important is the rhythm that comes with rocking. That’s because rhythm, when steady and comfortably paced, has a calming effect on the human nervous system, and a regulating effect on the human brain.
What this rhythmic movement actually regulates is the lower, more primitive region of the brain: the brainstem.
The brainstem comes from our reptilian ancestors. Not only is it the first region to develop, but throughout our lives it acts as the gateway for most incoming and outgoing transmissions. This means that very little travels to or from the higher regions without going through the brainstem.
Share This Post!
The True Link Between Early Trauma and Adult Mental Health
By David Rettew M.D., ABCs of Child Psychiatry The last decade of the 1990s was often labeled the “Decade of the Brain,” as many mental health clinicians and researchers emphasized biological [...]
What’s the Best Treatment for PTSD in Children?
By Joan Kaufman, PhD Joan Kaufman, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University, discusses the different stages of trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy, or TF-CBT, the best evidence-based intervention for children who [...]
Expert Consensus Regarding Indicators of a Traumatic Reaction in Autistic Youth: A Delphi Survey
By Connor M Kerns, Diana L Robins, Paul T Shattuck, Craig J Newschaffer, & Steven J Berkowitz It has been suggested that the sequelae of trauma are under-recognized in youth on the autism spectrum. [...]
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Traumatic Events
By Southern California Sunrise Recovery Center Children and adolescents are exposed to a number of different traumatic events that can spark a lot of emotions and physical reactions. The effects of [...]
Trauma screening may help connect children to specific mental health services
By Penn State Each year between 200,000 and 270,000 children and youth enter foster care placements with child welfare services, and many more children receive child welfare services while remaining in [...]
The Mental Health of Minority and Marginalized Young People: An Opportunity for Action
By Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General Mental health is an essential part of overall health. It not only affects the ability of young people to succeed in school, at work, and [...]