Primitive Reflexes - The Building Blocks of Life

Primitive reflexes are the building blocks of life. They are involuntary movements that develop in the womb, protect the fetus, help in the birthing process, and aid in survival during the first six months to one year of life. They move the infant from automatic motor activity (in which the infant is helpless in controlling the movements) to controlled, skillful movements such as sitting up, rolling over, crawling, and eventually walking. These movement patterns are triggered during the infant's interaction with the environment. As the infant adjusts to its new environment after birth, these early movements are critical in building the foundation for more complex movements, skills, and behaviors. They are crucial in building the foundation for the development of motor, sensory, and cognitive skills thus impacting the development of vision and learning.

There are five primitive reflexes that most impact visual development (eye-teaming, focusing, eye-tracking, and visual processing abilities) and learning. These include the Moro, the Tonic Labyrinthine, the Spinal Galant, the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck, and the Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflexes.

Between 6-12 months of age, each reflex 'integrates' or incorporates into the higher-learning levels of the brain. The term integration describes the effort to coordinate these reflexes into more mature forms allowing the body to appropriately function as a unified whole. Movement is the key to integrating them into more advanced and sophisticated skills as an infant grows. If the reflex does not integrate at the typical developmental stage, it is considered 'retained' or 'present'. If primitive reflexes are retained, issues can arise in body coordination, behavior, attention, and academics.

One major factor that can cause retained reflexes is a traumatic birthing process. This includes prolonged or premature birth, breach position, birth involving forceps or suction, and Caesareans. The reflexes that aid in the birthing process and are stimulated by the process of passing through the birth canal are more likely to be 'present' in children born via Caesarian section.

Societal factors can also come into play, such as a lack of tummy time or a lack of movement during the creeping and crawling stages. A baby who spends little time crawling can miss out on valuable developmental experiences for visual-spatial development. It is important that we first gain mastery of our environment from the ground as this stage of development strengthens our muscular system and sets in place the building blocks for higher-level coordination and spatial awareness. If a baby spends a great deal of time in a car seat, stroller, crib, restrictive baby seat, or other confining environment it is more likely that primitive reflexes will be retained.

The impact of this retention can vary depending on the individual. For children, the less control they have over their environment due to this retention, the more likely they will tend towards emotional instability and outbursts because of their inability to channel their actions in socially acceptable ways. This can lead to impulsivity, hyperactivity, aggression, developmental delays, anxiety, fear, poor academic performance, and poor intellectual development. Adults and teens can also experience symptoms from retained primitive reflexes. They may learn to compensate despite the roadblocks the retention creates, however, compensations require more effort and energy. This can result in frustration, exhaustion and low self-esteem, and affect career goals, education and relationships.

Retained reflex remediation is the process through which the individual integrates the 'present' reflex. Their system is brought up to speed by revisiting the missing developmental pieces through motor activities that build new neurological pathways for efficient skills. By integrating the reflexes the individual no longer needs to compensate and can move into an easier, more productive life without the barriers caused by these retentions.

Dr. Lori Mowbray is a board-certified developmental optometrist and director of the Minnesota Vision Therapy Center ( http://www.minnesotavisiontherapy.com ), one of the most successful vision therapy centers operating today. Go to http://visual-dynamix.com to learn about her new home programs Primitive Reflex Training at Home, Visual Development at Home, and Vision Therapy at Home.

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