Primitive Reflexes
Primitive Reflexes
We are all born with primitive reflexes as these are essential to our survival over the first 12 months of life.
They serve three evolutionary functions
Assist our passage through the birth canal
Protect us and aid in our survival over our first few weeks of life
Provide the body with essential sensory/motor stimulation for initiation of higher cortical functioning.
It is the instinctive movements that a baby makes throughout the first year of life that helps to integrate these reflexes. This is why movements such as rolling, rocking and crawling are so important for a child’s growth and development.
When we see a cluster of primitive reflexes that haven’t been integrated well due to the fact that a child either did not complete a milestone or didn’t do it for long enough to use the reflex up we start to see the classic hallmarks of functional disconnection. This child’s brain can not function efficiently, they need to put a lot of extra energy into functions that would normally be done automatically.
Depending on which reflexes remain unintegrated a program of exercises can be provided to help these children integrate the reflex.
There’s a huge range of challenges children face when their primitive reflexes remain unintegrated. It may impact negatively upon their learning, attention, behaviour, global development, coordination or emotional well being. And perhaps all of the above!
Let’s look at some of the symptoms that can be related to retained primitive reflexes.
ROOTING REFLEX
Speech and articulation problems
Sensitivity around the mouth - constant need to suck, chew
Persistent dribbling
Avoidance of certain textures of foods
MORO REFLEX
Hypersensitive responses to sound, light, touch
Anger/ emotional outbursts (quick to anger over simple things)
Motion sickness
Poor digestion
Hyperactivity
many more
ASYMMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX (ATNR)
Visual processing difficulties due to incomplete hand-eye coordination development - leading to problems with reading, writing, spelling etc
Poor handwriting
Difficulty crossing the midline
Persistent tightness in shoulders due to body’s attempt to overcome this tendency
SYMMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX (STNR)
Altered crawling pattern (bum shuffling, crab crawling)
Fidgeting
Reading and writing difficulties
Poor posture
‘W’ sitting
Vision difficulties (accomodation, convergence)
SPINAL GALANT REFLEX
Fidgeting
Attention challenges
Sensory sensitiviites - dislike clothing/tags around waist
Hip rotation to one side (possibly the development of Scoliosis)
Bedwetting after five years of age
PALMAR GRASP REFLEX
Poor fine motor skills - doing up buttons, tying shoelaces
Poor pencil grip
Messy handwriting
Struggle putting ideas into writing
BABINSKI REFLEX
Delayed walking beyond 12-14 months
Poor balance
Awkward gait and running style
Difficulty when walking in the dark due to lack of input from feet to brain about body position in space
Lower back pain when walking or standing