Is it dangerous for babies to be 'spun' around very quickly?

[Mama_2_Boy]

Now I know ballerina's do this and kids love being spun around in a swing.  But is it safe?  We were at my in-laws over Easter, and he put my 16 month old in a sturdy bag (her head was out the top, she was sitting on the bottom) and he held the handles and twisted the bag till it was tight and then let it go and she spun around really fast and she loved it....but it freaked me out!  I keep thinking about head injuries and how concussions happen when the brain is jarred inside the fluid surrounding it.  I know that spinning is a solid motion and the brain is not being 'jarred'...yet still this activity seems very unnatural to be doing.  It's one thing for a child to run around in circles, but this type of very fast spinning makes me sick to watch.  When I was a kid and got off rides at the fair that made me spin, I always threw up and I was told to stop doing it because the vomiting was an indication of some trauma.

Thoughts anyone?  I couldn't seem to find anything online about this topic.

[MamatobabyA]

Honestly?  No, I don't think it's dangerous.  A concussion is a result of a blow to the head.  Most little kids love being spun around like that, they dig that dizzy feeling. 

As a side note, I would think your vomiting after spinning rides as a child was a result of "motion sickness" and your inner ear going all crazy.  I have never heard of it being from a trauma.

[marinak1977]

Well, I work with brain injury and while you don't actually have to hit your head to get injured, as long as the brain isn't being jarred around quickly, spinning is ok. (It's the sudden change in speed that's dangerous)
The vomiting from the spinning is more likely due to the temporarily messed up vestibular system.
So don't worry mama, although I'd be concerned if the handles on the bag broke.

[adelle]

I agree with you. I don't think that the spinning could lead to brain injury such as Shaken baby syndrome or what. However i get scared that the handle will break and would result to dropping of the baby on the floor. Now, that is scary. The vomiting is not a result of trauma. Your vestibular system which is in charge for your balance was disrupted thus you vomit. But there are really no serious complications. 

[P.J.]

One of our regular posters here had a very scary incident happen a few months back while spinning her daughter. She may chime in here to share, but in any case it sure made me think twice about spinning. We generally don't do it, but sometimes DH takes DS very tightly in his arms and rocks back and forth really fast and strong, which I think seems pretty intense and it kind of worries me. But DS LOVES it!!!

One thing I know for sure is not safe is taking kids (usually older than 1 or 2) by the arms, where you hold each others' wrists, and spinning them around really fast where their legs fly off the ground. I have heard that is one of the main reasons for ER visits, as their shoulders can become easily dislocated. So I won't be letting anyone do that particular move with our kid.

[KempsMama]

Vomitting after a spinning carnival ride is not usually the result of trauma, just the result of confusing your equilibrium!  Much like sea sickness.