Autism

8 Primitive Reflexes That Every Parent Should Know About

Landau Reflex Exercises

Retained Primitive Reflexes have been found to cause neurological underdevelopment in some areas affecting learning, behavior, development, vision and sensory processing. Find out what they are and how to Integrate Primitive Reflexes.

What are They?

Primitive Reflexes are the special reflexes that develop in the brain stem before birth. This set of involuntary Primitive Reflexes help the baby with positioning in the womb, birthing, the first breath of life, feeding, urination etc. Most of these Primitive Reflexes go away  through the first year of life as higher functions of the brain and muscle control develop.

 

If the reflexes remain, they interfere with the neurological organization of the brain which causes learning, behavioral, social, sensory and health problems. These remaining reflexes are unnoticed muscle movements in older children and adults that would not normally be noticed if one did not know what to look for. They cause ongoing issues until they are solved through  exercises.

Primitive Reflex Testing

Primitive Reflexes

What Can Be Done?

If any of them remain past 12 months, they are called Retained Primitive Reflexes and they are a problem. There are simple exercises that can solve each one. This process is called Integrating Primitive Reflexes. Once they are integrated through these little exercises, many Learning Disabilities, Behavioral, Sensory Disorders, and health issues disappear or are greatly improved. You need to check for each of them, even if your child is not displaying the usual symptoms. If one remains unnoticed, it slows improvement in cognitive function. We will soon be adding information on Retained Babinski Reflex.

Symptoms when Primitive Reflexes Remain:

Because Primitive Reflexes start at the base of the brain. Functions that try to develop above them don’t wire properly. It can cause or contribute to:

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Asperger’s

Hemispheric Imbalance

Sensory Disorders

Hyper Activity

ADHD

Speech Disorders

Social Disorders

Asthma

Dyslexia

Dysgraphia

Dyscalculia

Immune Problems

Other Health Issues

Other Learning Disabilities

This is the first thing to check for. They can solve a multitude of problems. Other therapies or Brain Stimulation such as Hemispheric Integration Therapy, work best if Retained Primitive Reflexes are integrated or are being exercised first or at the same time.

 

How did this happen?

There are many children and adults that for one reason or another still have one or more Primitive Reflexes remaining. Some causes may include a traumatic birth, lack of “tummy time”, too much time laying in seaters or swings, induced labor, and traumatic C-Section birth. Most of the time, there is not a known reason.

Fear not. These are simple assessments and exercises that can be done 10 minutes per day for a few months. Then stimulate the other brain functions with these cognitive exercises and the Disabilities often go away or symptoms improve amazingly. Click on the individual pictures above to see the tests and exercises.

 

 

Autistic?

Posted onAuthorBarbara B.

Is your child showing signs of autistic behaviors? Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by a child that has impaired communication and social skills. But, being autistic is so much more than that to families living with an autistic child or sibling. These wonderful children really are so bright and creative. Their struggles are real. Their little light seems to have dimmed during their toddler years and the information in their mind seemed to get trapped. Don’t despair. That bright child you saw at age one is still in there. With neuroplasticity, specialists have proven that we can rebuild lost connections in their brain. There are interventions now.

What happened?

Nobody knows for sure. Environmental differences, genetic traits and nutrition are so variable between children in different families, that it makes it almost impossible to pinpoint a cause or number of risk factors. Specialists have found some things that are consistent across the autism spectrum disorder. Certain neurological deficiencies that may not be the cause, but when stimulated with early intervention, produce fantastic results. We have linked to them below.

Specialists have also found that children that are very bright can actually have one half of their brain that matures rapidly and leaves the other half a little behind. This is often the case with autistic children. Their left brain skills matures fast. When the right side cannot keep up, the connection between the two halves weaken and disconnect. This is called Functional Disconnection Syndrome. This is why they start out super bright, then start to lose the connections.

Symptoms appear between 1-2 years of age. The child starts to show signs of sensory processing issues. They start to lose some to the tricks they learned in their first year of life. Communication and social problems start to take root. They begin having outbursts that are no characteristic of the usual ‘terrible twos’. They avoid eye contact and start to withdraw. It is time to stimulate neurological growth. Click here for more signs of Autism.

One Place To Start

Children with autism often have a retained Moro Reflex that should have disappeared in the first year of life. There are simple exercises that can integrate this reflex. This often helps reduce some of the outbursts and impulsivity of Autism. Read more about that on our post. Moro Reflex Test and Moro Reflex Exercises. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Learning Disabilities and How to Help!

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    Signs of Autism

    Autistic children often develop normally until between ages one and two, when they start to lose some of the skills they had gained. Or, you may notice Autism in your child at a relatively young age. Babies with Autism will often show signs by as early as three months. They won’t respond to loud noises, won’t grasp or hold onto objects, won’t babble, etc. As they progress in infancy they will show no affection for you, won’t laugh, won’t turn their head to locate where a sound has come from, etc. They will also be slow to crawl and speak more than a few words. As they continue to grow, so does the gap between what they should be able to do and what they can do. See below for common Symptoms for children with Autism. Click here to read more about Autism.

    Autism Symptoms

    • Poor eye contact
    • Compulsive behavior
    • Has trouble talking about feelings
    • Speech delay
    • Struggles to develop non-verbal communication
    • Difficulty developing friendships with children of same age
    • Struggles to understand another person’s feelings
    • Self harm
    • Lack of empathy
    • Preoccupation with certain topics
    • Will have a need for routine
    • Takes language literally, struggles to understand humor, irony, sarcasm, etc
    • Doesn’t seem to hear when others talk to them
    • May flap hands or rock body back and forth repetitively
    • May use language incorrectly (incorrect grammar or words)
    • Prefers not to be touched or held
    • Struggles to understand simple statements, questions, or directions

    Are Symptoms The Same For All With Autism?

    Autism symptoms vary from person to person, and can vary in severity. There is a whole spectrum of variations. No two children are the same, so your child may display different symptoms than the ones listed above. Despite your child’s diagnosis, these interventions can be helpful. If you think your child has Autism you should consult a professional.

    Intervention 

    Autism is a lifelong condition, but symptoms can greatly improve through intervention and therapies. These are beneficial to increase skills and are good to begin as soon as possible.

    Click here to read more about Autism

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      8 Primitive Reflexes That Every Parent Should Know About

      Landau Reflex Exercises

      Retained Primitive Reflexes have been found to cause neurological underdevelopment in some areas affecting learning, behavior, development, vision and sensory processing. Find out what they are and how to Integrate Primitive Reflexes.

      What are They?

      Primitive Reflexes are the special reflexes that develop in the brain stem before birth. This set of involuntary Primitive Reflexes help the baby with positioning in the womb, birthing, the first breath of life, feeding, urination etc. Most of these Primitive Reflexes go away  through the first year of life as higher functions of the brain and muscle control develop.

       

      If the reflexes remain, they interfere with the neurological organization of the brain which causes learning, behavioral, social, sensory and health problems. These remaining reflexes are unnoticed muscle movements in older children and adults that would not normally be noticed if one did not know what to look for. They cause ongoing issues until they are solved through  exercises.

       

       

      Primitive Reflex Testing

      Primitive Reflexes

      What Can Be Done?

      If any of them remain past 12 months, they are called Retained Primitive Reflexes and they are a problem. There are simple exercises that can solve each one. This process is called Integrating Primitive Reflexes. Once they are integrated through these little exercises, many Learning Disabilities, Behavioral, Sensory Disorders, and health issues disappear or are greatly improved. You need to check for each of them, even if your child is not displaying the usual symptoms. If one remains unnoticed, it slows improvement in cognitive function. We will soon be adding information on Retained Babinski Reflex.

      Symptoms when Primitive Reflexes Remain:

      Because Primitive Reflexes start at the base of the brain. Functions that try to develop above them don’t wire properly. It can cause or contribute to:

      Autism

      Autism Spectrum Disorders

      Asperger’s

      Hemispheric Imbalance

      Sensory Disorders

      Hyper Activity

      ADHD

      Speech Disorders

      Social Disorders

      Asthma

      Dyslexia

      Dysgraphia

      Dyscalculia

      Immune Problems

      Other Health Issues

      Other Learning Disabilities

      This is the first thing to check for. They can solve a multitude of problems. Other therapies or Brain Stimulation such as Hemispheric Integration Therapy, work best if Retained Primitive Reflexes are integrated or are being exercised first or at the same time.

       

      How did this happen?

      There are many children and adults that for one reason or another still have one or more Primitive Reflexes remaining. Some causes may include a traumatic birth, lack of “tummy time”, too much time laying in seaters or swings, induced labor, and traumatic C-Section birth. Most of the time, there is not a known reason.

      Fear not. These are simple assessments and exercises that can be done 10 minutes per day for a few months. Then stimulate the other brain functions with these cognitive exercises and the Disabilities often go away or symptoms improve amazingly. Click on the individual pictures above to see the tests and exercises.

       

       

      Retained Spinal Galant Reflex

      Primitive Reflex Testing

      The Spinal Galant Reflex develops in the womb at about 20 weeks gestation. It helps the baby develop the Vestibular System. In Infancy, the Spinal Galant Reflex, along with the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR), are necessary to help the unborn infant descend down the birth canal. It also helps the baby urinate after birth. You will see the reflex in an infant if you gently stroke down one side of the lower part of the spine. The baby’s arms and legs will sway toward the direction of the stroke almost like being ticklish. If both sides of the spine are stroked at the same time it induces urination. This is normal. However, the Spinal Galant Reflex should be gone by 3-9 months as higher muscle control develops. This is called ‘integrating’. If not properly integrated, it can cause many subtle issues.

      Studies

      Check out the latest studies on Primitive Reflex Integration. My favorite is the newest ADHD study by Harvard Univ. done on the Melillo Method which incorporates Primitive Reflex Integration. 

      Retained Spinal Galant Reflex Symptoms:

      • Fidgety, Hyper Activity, especially if clothes or chair brush their back.
      • If active down only one side, can cause scoliosis, rotated pelvis and lower back pain.
      • Poor concentration
      • Attention problems
      • Bedwetting long after potty training
      • Short term memory issues
      • Fidgeting and wiggly “ants in the pants”
      • Posture problems
      • Hip rotation on one side/possibly scoliosis
      • Low endurance
      • Chronic digestion problems
      • Even if they don’t display any of these symptoms, it is a good idea to do the quick test on them, as there may be other functions that are affected by it that are still unknown.

      Read More …

      Retained Moro Reflex or Startle Reflex

      Primitive Reflex Testing

      The Moro Reflex develops about the thirteenth week of gestation. It develops to help protect the baby from danger sensed through the sensory system and take the first breath of life. When a newborn is startled or receives sensory input like a jarring, sudden light or sound, the arms will flail out, then baby quickly takes a deep breath, then curls up crossing both the arms and legs.

      This is an involuntary reflex that is part of normal development and should disappear between 2-4 months of age. Because this reflex is triggered by the sensory systems, it can cause an array of problems if it remains longer.

      Pediatricians will check this reflex at the baby’s 6 week appointment to make sure it is present. They seldom check in later appointments to make sure it was integrated and gone. It is not part of the pediatric list of assessments done at later appointments.

      Because of the changing environment, procedures, and lack of tummy time, more children are not integrating this reflex.

      Studies

      Check out the latest studies on Primitive Reflex Integration. My favorite is the newest ADHD study by Harvard Univ. done on the Melillo Method which incorporates Primitive Reflex Integration. 

      Retained Moro Reflex Symptoms

      • Easily Distracted
      • Hypersensitive to sensory stimuli like light and sound and touch.
      • Over sensitivity to motion causing car sickness
      • Or under sensitivity to sensory stimuli
      • Overreacts
      • Impulsive and aggressive
      • Emotional immaturity
      • Withdrawn or timid and shy
      • ADD
      • ADHD
      • Autism Spectrum
      • Asperger’s
      • Sensory Disorders
      • Difficulty making friends
      • Depression
      • Dyslexia
      • Health Problems
      • Allergies and Asthma
      • Anger or Emotional Outbursts
      • Poor Balance and Coordination
      • Poor Digestion and Food Sensitivities
      • Even if they don’t display any of these symptoms, it is a good idea to do the quick test on them, as there may be other functions that are affected by it that are still unknown.

       

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      The Moro Reflex or “Startle Reflex” is the earliest development of the “fight or flight” instinct. When frightened or threatened, it triggers “reaction” or “retraction” from the threat. Because in infancy, it is triggered by the sensory system, it will cause sensory processing problems if not integrated. Because it triggers the Adrenals to “fight or flight” mode. It causes hyper activity and attention problems. Once the adrenals quickly tire of the over stimulation, the child usually develops chronic allergies, asthma, auto immune and other health problems connected with fatigued adrenals. Furthermore, when the body is in ‘fight or flight’ mode, the brain is in an instinctual state and cannot store or recall information as well. This contributes to learning disabilities.

      The reflex can be easily integrated with about 6 weeks of simple exercises. Many of the symptoms will disappear or improve as the brain and body start to function better.

      Studies

      Check out the latest studies on Primitive Reflex Integration. My favorite is the newest study by Harvard.

      Moro Reflex Test

      Have the child sit on a low chair or lay on their back. Ask them to open their arms and legs out like a starfish. Now ask them to bring them in crossing them as they curl up. You may need to demonstrate it for them or let them see the pictures below. Generally they will cross with the opposite arm from leg on top. This is normal, at first, and the way they did it when startled as an infant.

      Retained Moro Reflex test

      Now ask them to spread arms and legs out again and cross/curl up, again but with the same arm as leg on top. Right leg and right arm on top. If they are too young to know right from left, put a sticker on the back of their right hand and on their right foreleg. Ask them to cross up with stickers on top.

      Retained Moro Reflex Test

      Now do the same with the left side.

      Moro Reflex Exercise

      If they struggle doing this then the reflex is still present and needs to be integrated with “Starfish Exercises”.

      For disabled children, or children too young to follow instructions, see out Moro Reflex Test for disabled.

       

      Moro Reflex Exercise