Infant reflex​es, primitive reflexes, are automatic, stereotypical movements that are controlled by the brainstem and sometimes by the midbrain. These reflexes are an involuntary response to some type of stimulus and require no thought. Infant reflexes are the first foundations of the nervous system and assist in brain growth. They are like the base blocks in a block tower.

Infant reflexes begin to develop in utero. They serve two purposes. First, infant reflexes help in the survival of the infant when his/her nervous system is not fully functional (meaning the infant does not have a lot of voluntary control over his/her movements). Second, they help the infant with moving. As infant reflexes are integrated, voluntary movements will take place; which in turn, assist in the development of balance, vision, hearing, speaking, communicating, and learning.

 

There are many reasons why infant reflexes could be retained. Some of these reasons include: a cesarean section birth, trauma, environmental toxins, not enough “tummy time,” delayed or skipped creeping or crawling, an excessive amount of falls, and chronic ear infections. It should be noted that the birth process is important to the development and inhibition of some primitive reflexes. A child born by cesarean section or who experienced birth trauma may be at an increased risk of having retained reflexes.

 

Rhythmic Movement Training is a system of exercises that help to reintegrate infant reflexes. The movements are designed to stimulate brain development and improve coordination. Rhythmic Movement Training has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of conditions, including autism, ADHD, and cerebral palsy. The exercises are gentle and can be performed without any equipment. Rhythmic Movement Training can be adapted to meet the needs of any individual. As a result, it is an effective and versatile tool for promoting brain development.

 

The Moro Reflex

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The Moro Reflex first develops in utero and generally is integrated by four months. It is the infant’s primitive “fight or flight” response.  The Moro Reflex is associated with the following sensory systems: vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, tactile, and visual. Children with an unintegrated Moro Reflex may be hyper reactive, be hyper sensitive, have balance issues, have a dislike of change, be easily distracted, have poor impulse control, and vestibular related problems.

 

The Palmer Reflex

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The Palmer Reflex develops in utero and is generally integrated at two to three months. It is this reflex that makes the infant grab when something is placed in his or her hand. The Palmer Reflex is associated with the following sensory systems: tactile and proprioceptive. Children with an unintegrated Palmer Reflex may have poor fine motor skills, have poor manual dexterity, and have poor handwriting.

 

The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)

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The TLR develops in utero and is generally integrated at three to four months. This reflex helps the infant with holding his or her head up and developing a sense of balance. The TLR is associated with the following sensory systems: vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, and visual. Children with an unintegrated TLR may have poor posture, have poor muscle tone, walk on their toes, have poor sequencing abilities, have poor balance, have spatial orientation issues, and have poor organizational skills.

 

The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)

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The ATNR develops in utero and is integrated between three and six months. This is one of the reflexes that assists the infant through the birth canal.

The ATNR is associated with the following sensory systems” vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, and tactile. Children with an unintegrated ATNR may have difficulty with hand-eye coordination, have issues with visual tracking, and have difficulty crossing the vertical midline.

 

The Spinal Gallant

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The Spinal Gallant develops at birth and is integrated at three to nine months. This reflex also assist the infant in the birthing process and assists in the development of the vestibular system.  The Spinal Gallant is associated with the following sensory systems: proprioceptive, auditory, and tactile. Children with an unintegrated Spinal Gallant may have difficulties with fidgeting, experience bed wetting, have poor concentration, have short-term memory issues, and have postural issues.

 

The Rooting Reflex

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The Rooting Reflex first develops at birth and is usually integrated at six to ten months. The purpose of this reflex is to assist the infant with feeding.  The Rooting Reflex is associated with the following sensory systems: tactile and proprioceptive. A child with an unintegrated Rooting Reflex may be a picky eater, engage in thumb sucking, and have speech problems.

 

The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

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The STNR develops at six to nine months and is integrated by nine to eleven months. This reflex prepares the infant for crawling and is important for proper body posture.  The STNR is associated with the following sensory systems: vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual. Children with an unintegrated Spinal Gallant may slump while sitting or W sitting, have poor muscle tone, and have poor hand-eye coordination.

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What To Expect

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In my own clinical practice, most children with developmental trauma, or reactive attachment disorder, have many retained primitive reflexes. Children with developmental trauma or attachment issues, generally come from home environments that are usually neglectful and abusive—a less than ideal environment for a developing child.  This less than ideal environment, with its lack of stimulation, contributes to infant reflexes remaining unintegrated. Consequently, since the foundation of the child’s development is not sound, the rest of the child’s development can be disrupted—our tower of blocks may topple over.

 

In almost all children with developmental trauma, the Moro Reflex has been retained.  As noted previously, the Moro Reflex is the infant’s primitive “fight or flight” response; and, along with the other primitive reflexes, assist in brain growth and maturation.  The “fight or flight” response is essential for our survival. It allows us to act when confronted with a threat without having to consciously think about what to do. The problem is not the “fight or flight” response. The problem is when this response is activated at the child’s misperception of a threat or when no apparent danger is present.

 

Many children with developmental trauma or reactive attachment disorder are stuck in a “fight or flight” response—partly due to an unintegrated Moro Reflex. This “fight or flight” response has become the norm for many of these children. This almost constant state of arousal can have serious medical and mental health consequences for the child.  As the child continually uses this type of response to stresses in his/her environment, the “fight or flight” response becomes more “hardwired” in the child’s brain. This is the reason why when many children with developmental trauma or reactive attachment disorder are removed from their neglectful and abusive environments, they still continue to act aggressively (a fight response) or they continue to act withdrawn and quiet (a flight response).

 

In my clinical practice, I will initially meet with a child and his or her parent or guardian to complete intake paperwork and consent for treatment. It is during this session that I will obtain some background information about the child and what issues he or she is currently experiencing. Additionally, it is during this session that I will assess which of the child’s primitive reflexes are active and which reflexes have been integrated.

 

In the next session, I will teach the parent or guardian and the child the various exercises of Rhythmic Movement Training. Rhythmic Movement Training only requires a couple of sessions with a counselor, as most of the “work” takes place at home. This “work” takes about five to ten minutes a day, once or twice a day.

 

Fees

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Rhythmic Movement Training is $125 per session and is not covered by insurance.