Primitive Retained Reflexes
What are primitive reflexes?
Primitive reflexes develop in utero. They are involuntary/automatic movements essential for the development of head control, muscle tone, sensory integration, and overall development.
Primitive reflexes protect the foetus as it is developing and contribute to later, more mature postural reflexes. Once the baby is grown as it hits its milestones of development, primitive reflexes will “integrate” into the growing brain. They will no longer be active as movements but there will be automaticity instead.
Vision and primitive reflexes go hand-in-hand. The integration of these reflexes allows us to move through our world during early childhood and through to adulthood.
From gross motor to fine motor to oculomotor, each stage of development is affected by the appropriate integration of primitive reflexes. All of these skills lead directly to the efficient ability to read, write, spell, mathematical skills, visual process, auditory process, visual and auditory memory.
What causes primitive reflexes to be retained?
- Retained primitive reflexes may be the result of many reasons
- The stress of the mother and/or baby during pregnancy
- Lack of movement in utero
- Infants spending extended time in car seats/carriers, jumpers, walkers… all of which restrict movements required for healthy brain development.
- Illness, trauma, injury, chronic stress
Other developmental delays - Reflexes that were integrated can also reactivate due to injury, trauma, illness, or stress.
Both children and adults can experience symptoms from primitive reflexes that were not integrated.
Although there are many reflexes, we focus therapy on 5 main ones that impact education performance:
1. Moro Reflex
This affects a student’s emotional stability and flight, fight and freeze state. This affects all areas of learning as the child is permanently wired in a state of survival and struggles to be able to focus on acquiring basic skills needed for learning.
Moro Reflex is the earliest primitive reflex to emerge, forming a foundation for life and living. Other reflexes tend to impact specific skills, Moro affects the overall emotional profile of the child. It also affects vestibular, oculomotor, and visual perceptual skills. Retained Moro causes sensory overload leading to emotional sensitivity. Often the person struggles to “tune out” stimuli, as the world seems too bright, too loud, and too much.
Symptoms a child may show that have retained a Moro reflex:
Often in “Fight or Flight” mode
High levels of anxiety or anger
Poor balance
Poor coordination
Light sensitivity
Range of allergies
Hyperactivity
Mood swings and/or emotional instability
Low self-esteem
2. Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)
STNR affects the child’s ability to concentrate and sit in a chair without fidgeting especially when writing and reading. Also, focusing from near to far, which affects the ability to read, write and copy from the board.
Symptoms a child may show that have retained an STNR reflex:
Poor posture
Difficulty tracking and/or catching a ball
Poor balance and depth perception
Difficulty swimming
Poor hand-eye coordination
Difficulties with adjusting focus from distance to near
Learning problems
ADD/ADHD characteristics
Difficulty aligning numbers for math problems.
3. Tonic Labyrinthe Reflex (TLR)
TLR affects ocular motor, muscle tone, balance, and auditory discrimination. So can greatly affect the ability to read and process instructions and teacher explanations.
TLR Reflex should be fully present at birth and is thought to be the child’s first response to the forces of gravity. This reflex is seen when moving the child’s head in towards their body (position in utero) causes the arms and legs to also move in.
Symptoms a child may show that has retained a TLR reflex:
Poor posture and/or stooping weak muscle tone
Poor balance
Dislike of sports
Eye movement, visual perceptual, and spatial problems
Motion sickness
Poor coordination
Poor sequencing skills
Poor sense of time and organisational skills
4. Spinal Galant Reflex
Symptoms a child may show that have retained a Spinal Galant reflex:
Bedwetting
Fidgety or wiggly (especially when sitting)
Sensory issues with waistbands/tags in clothing or food texture
Poor concentration
Poor short-term memory
ADHD characteristics
5. Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)
This affects midline issues, balance, eye tracking, handwriting, and laterality.
Symptoms a child may show that have retained an ATNR reflex:
Poor handwriting
Difficulty keeping place when copying
Difficulty crossing the midline
Difficulty learning to ride a bicycle
Poor pursuits (smooth eye movements)
Mixed laterality (uses left foot, right hand or uses left or right hand interchangeably)
Difficulty catching a ball
ADD/ADHD characteristics
Conclusion
When primitive reflexes are not integrated it is important to address those missing developmental stages. The movement activities associated with integrating these reflexes will help rebuild those early childhood foundations and create/repair neural pathways.
Reflex therapy consists of specific, stereotyped movements practiced every day for 3 to 5 minutes per day. Generally, these are practiced for 9-12 months.