WHAT ARE PRIMITIVE REFLEXES?
Reflexes occur without any cortical involvement, i.e. they are automatic and require no thought or control from an individual. Many of these are lifelong reflexes (such as coughing, sneezing, and blinking).
We are also born with reflexes called primitive reflexes. These are reflexes that begin to develop in utero (usually around 9-12 weeks post conception), and are fully present at birth in a healthy newborn.
WHY DO PRIMITIVE REFLEXES MATTER?
Each primitive reflex has a purpose in the first year of the newborn’s life. Through natural movements that occur on the first year of life, each of these reflexes becomes inhibited to support higher level skills and refined movement patterns.
For some children (an adults), these primitive reflexes may not fully become inhibited or dormant. When primitive reflexes remain active beyond their 'life span' (typically the first year of life), they may prevent a child from reaching developmental milestones and/or skills in a fluid manner.
Every child is different, and therefore each child may present differently when these reflexes are active beyond that first year. Some signs are more common than others.
Let’s Look At the Key Primitive Reflexes:
Moro Reflex: A baby's flight or fight response
The Tonic Labrynthine Reflex (TLR): Allows the baby to transition out of the curled, fetal position. It is an important reflex that influences balance and muscle tone.
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex: Affects bilateral coordination (coordinating the left and right sides of the body), balance, eye movements, just to name a few.
Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR): Affects upper and lower body coordination, muscle tone, balance, posture, and vertical tracking.
A child may present with a cluster of challenges, or they may have difficulties in 1-2 areas. Some examples when a child has uninhibited primitive reflexes include:
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Difficulty sitting still (squirmy, fidgety, etc).
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Difficulty with coordination (left/right coordination and upper body/lower body coordination).
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Easily going into a 'fight or flight' mode.
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Flinching or turning their head away when a ball is thrown to them.
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Difficulties with reading and/or writing that are not remediated with instruction.
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Balance challenges.
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Difficulty with going up/down escalators or elevator.
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Poor posture (always leaning to one side, slouching, etc).
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Being overly fearful of new situations.
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Difficulty with copying from the board.
*Please note that if a child presents with one or more of these challenges, it is not indicative of unintegrated primitive reflexes. The list above is only for information purposes, and only a primitive reflex assessment can determine the presence of unintegrated reflexes.
Reference: Blythe, Sally Goddard. Reflexes, Learning and Behaviour. A Window Into The Child's Mind. 2nd Edition. Fern Ridge Press. Eugene, Oregon. 2009