What are primitive reflexes?

Primitive reflexes are simple, involuntary movements that babies do without thinking. These movements are very important because they help babies develop control of their heads, strengthen their muscles, and process what they sense around them. They also serve as the foundation for more advanced movements that we use throughout life. Primitive reflexes begin before birth and appear in the first few months after birth. As babies grow and learn new skills, these reflexes usually fade away naturally and are no longer active when given the chance to grow, play, and develop freely. However, if these reflexes stay active longer than they should, it can cause challenges later on.

From very early in pregnancy, these reflex movements help build our brains. They create the pathways and connections in the brain that are important for learning, regulating emotions, communicating, building secure relationships, and behaving as we grow older.

In my practice, we focus on integrating the reflexes associated with fear, attachment, posture, focus, concentration, and organization: Fear Paralysis Reflex (FPR), Moro, Babkin, Palmar Grasp, Infant Plantar/Babinski, Sucking/Rooting, Tendon Guard, Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR), Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR), Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR), Landau, Spinal Galant/Perez, Pull to Sit, Head Righting Reflex (HRR), and Amphibian.

Why is it important to integrate them?

  • They form the basic control system for our nervous system and movement.

  • They start in a part of the brain called the brainstem, which is responsible for basic survival functions. If we are stressed or overwhelmed and still rely on these primitive reflexes, we may find it hard to move calmly or think clearly because we are stuck in a survival mode instead of being able to bond, focus, and reason.

  • As we get older, if these reflexes do not integrate properly, they can cause us to react with a defensive response, even when there’s no real danger.

  • When our movements are still based on these reflex patterns, it can cause coordination problems. This might lead to trouble with reading, writing, speaking, or staying organized. It can also cause behaviors like fidgeting, difficulty concentrating, or issues with bladder control, breathing, skin problems, or craving sweets. They can also cause physical problems like low muscle tone, weakness, body aches, fatigue, and overall poor endurance.

What are some of the long term effects if not integrated?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vuxd2Iuk9226RiKpErfnnNvsbmnn8fki/view?usp=drive_link

Are there studies to show the effectiveness of primitive reflex integration?

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:2de843a5-ad39-42e0-ae3e-96d61a854a47

Why does integration need to include rhythm?

“Any neural network that is activated in a repetitive way will change. Therefore, if we want to provide reorganising, patterned, repetitive input to reach the dysregulated or poorly organised neural networks involved in the stress response, we can provide patterned repetitive rhythmic somatosensory activity…The rhythm of these experiences matter. The brainstem and diencephalon contain several powerful associations to rhythmic somatosensory activity created in utero and reinforced in early in life…One of the most powerful sets of associations created in utero is the association between patterned repetitive rhythmic activity from maternal heart rate and all the neural patterns of activity associated with not being hungry, not been thirsty, and feeling ‘safe’. In other words, patterned, repetitive and rhythmic somatosensory activity becomes an evocative cue that elicits a sensation of safety. Rhythm is regulating….”

Bruce Perry, MD, PhD, Senior Fellow of The Child Trauma Academy (2012) DOI:10.1017/aft.2012.26

Thanks to Rhythmic Movement Training International RMTi and Sonia Story for their continuous hard work in sharing this information.