Some children find having their head tipped back or being upside down unpleasant or distressing. This could be for lots of reasons. One of these might be the way that they are processing vestibular (movement) information. You can find out more about vestibular processing in the Our 8 Senses video.

Here are some things you might want to try:

Give your child lots of opportunities to try different play activities. Go at their pace and never force them to do something.
Listen to your child. If they are upset then stop and give them a break so they can calm down.
Make sure anyone who spends time with your child knows that they dislike having their head tipped back or upside down.
Be patient with them and follow their lead. Tell them you know it is hard for them.
Have fun and play together
Try different positions:
- For hair washing try head over the sink, sitting in the bath or shower, lying in the bath
- For nappy changing try standing, resting their tummy on a stool, lying on a bean bag or between your legs.
Try with eyes closed or open or try using a shampoo shield.
Try distracting your child with a preferred sensory activity or toy if the activity is necessary like nappy changing.
Make the activity as predictable as possible to reduce anxiety:
- Use a visual sequence so your child knows what to expect
- Complete the steps of the activity in the same order
- Use a visual timer so your child can see how much time is left.