Primitive Reflexes | earlyroots

PRIMITIVE

REFLEXES

Moro (startle) Reflex

Stimulus

Any sudden change in head position or any of the five senses: light, sound, touch, smell, or taste

Response

The baby’s arms first stretch open and then grasp forward. Their sympathetic nervous system is also activated and it triggers a physiological fight-or-flight response.

Function

Helps baby survive during the first few months after birth
Alerts caregiver to possible danger
Helps stimulate breathing after birth
Early fight-or-flight response

Symptoms if retained

Over-reactive
Hypersensitive
Hyposentitive
Hyperactive
Poor balance and coordination
Visual-perception problems
Poor impulse control

Children with a retained Moro are consistently put in a state of heightened arousal. This can have a huge impact on their ability to function. Children learn to cope with this in different ways. Some become very anxious, fearful of things that might trigger this reflex, while other become over-excitable, using the reflex like an adrenaline rush.

Emotional immaturity
Motion sickness
Immune issues
Anxiety
Low self-esteem
Stimulus bound

Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)

Stimulus

Flexion or extension of the head

Response

The arms and legs flex when the head flexes and extend when the head extends

Function

Helps baby get into a good position for birth
Helps baby adapt to a world with gravity
Helps develop muscle tone

The TLR is triggered by a specific change head position (detected by the vestibular system). The vestibular system also has connections to the child’s visual, auditory, and motor control systems. Children with a retained TLR have an immature vestibular system and often have immaturity in these other systems as well. Their brain receives mismatched information from each of these sensory systems.

Symptoms if retained

Poor balance and coordination
Visual perception problems
Motion sickness
Under or over developed muscle tone
Poor posture
Toe walking

Spinal Galant Reflex

Stimulus

Any tactile stimulation to the skin on either side of the spine in the lumbar region

Response

Rotation of the hip 45° on that side

Function

Encourages movement in the womb
Helps during the birth process
Promotes hip flexibility

Children with a retained Spinal Galant often have trouble staying still, particularly while seated. They may be very uncomfortable sitting in chairs that touch the lumbar region of their back or wearing tight pants or pants with tags.

Symptoms if retained

Difficulty sitting still
Hypersensitivity in the lumbar region (tags, waist bands, ect..)
Some connection to bedwetting

Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)

Children with a retained ATNR often have to adjust their posture in order to accomplish everyday tasks. This becomes particularly evident during school when they are using cognitive effort and when they are often required to sit at a desk. Children with a retained ATNR often have “bad” posture and may even be labeled as “lazy” because of it.

Stimulus

Rotation of the head to either side

Response

The arm and leg on the “face” side extend and the arm and leg on the “skull” side flex

Function

Encourages movement in the womb
Helps facilitate the birth process
Develops homolateral movement
Helps keep airway clear
Early hand-eye training

Symptoms if retained

Poor balance and coordination
Avoid crossing the midline
Poor hand-eye coordination
Difficulty writing
Difficulty reading
Difficulty tracking visual information

Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

Stimulus

Extension or flexion of the head

Response

When the head extends, the arms extend and the lower body flexes. When the head flexes, the arms flex and the legs extend.

Function

Helps the infant defy gravity (move from the floor to standing)
Helps with spine alignment
Helps with visual accommodation

Similar to the ATNR, Children with a retained STNR often have to adjust their posture during everyday activities like school. Their postural and visual systems work against rather than with them. Many children try to accommodate this by adjusting their position e.g. they may tuck their legs under them when they sit in a chair.

Symptoms if retained

Prevent proper crawling
Poor posture
Poor body control
Difficulty with attention and concentration
Poor hand-eye coordination
Difficulty with vertical tracking

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