Did you know that learning difficulties, behavioural problems, and developmental delay can be the result of retained neonatal reflexes?

What are Neonatal Reflexes?


Neonatal reflexes are a set of survival reflexes that appear early on in a child's development.These reflexes are sometimes referred to as 'primitive' reflexes as they originate from an older section of the brain called the brainstem. The neonatal reflexes are stereotyped, predictable responses to specific stimuli. They consist of involuntary postural, and reflex movements.
The neonatal reflexes are designed to help us survive in the early stages of life, and they serve as platforms from which to develop smooth, controlled, voluntary movement. 

There are reflexes for the development of muscle tone, the avoidance of noxious stimuli, postural disturbances, as well as reflexes that aid in the birthing process. A list of the neonatal and basic postural reflexes is presented below:

Neonatal Reflexes:

  • Fear Paralysis Reflex (FPR)
  • Moro/Startle Response
  • Palmar mandibular
  • Palmar mental
  • Palmar grasp
  • Plantar grasp
  • Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)
  • Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)
  • Rooting Reflex
  • Juvenile Suck Reflex
  • Snouting Reflex
  • Babinski

Postural Reflexes:

  • Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)
  • Optical Righting Reflex (ORR)
  • Head Righting Reflex (HRR)
  • Body Righting Reflex (BRR)
  • Neck Righting Reflex (NRR)
  • Traction response
  • Parachute
  • Landau
  • Spinal Galant
  • Crawling
  • Stepping
  • Swimming

To read more about the individual reflexes click here

 

What are Retained Neonatal Reflexes? 

The neonatal reflexes are designed to function as basic reflexes. They serve to protect us, and guide our early development. Under normal circumstances, the neonatal reflexes should be fully integrated by about 3 years of age. If however, these reflexes have not been successfully integrated (or have been 'retained'), they may inhibit an individual’s motor control, sensory perception, hand-eye co-ordination, cognition, behaviour, and overall development.

 

What are the signs and symptoms of retained neonatal reflexes?

  • Dyslexia or Learning Difficulties
  • Poor posture and/or awkward gait
  • Poor written expression
  • Poor spatial awareness
  • Bedwetting past 5 years of age
  • Poor handwriting
  • Poor hand-eye co-ordination
  • Difficulty learning how to swim/ride a bike
  • Poor gross and fine motor skills
  • Quick temper/easily frustrated/short fuse
  • Depression, anxiety or stress
  • Clumsiness/accident prone
  • Motion sickness
  • Confusion between right and left
  • Reversals of letters/numbers and midline problems
  • Behavioural, self-esteem and motivational problems
  • Slow at copying tasks
  • Dyspraxia/Speech problems and Language delays
  • Motor, co-ordination and balance problems
  • Hypersensitivity to sound, light, or touch
  • Poor visual function/processing skills
  • Hyperactivity
  • Poor sequencing skills
  • Attention and concentration problems
  • Easily distracted and/or impulsive
  • Slow in processing information
  • Poor sense of time
  • Poor organizational skills
  • Inability to sit still/fidgeting

How do these infant reflexes become integrated?

Neonatal reflexes are present in newborn infants, and become less prominent during early development. The apparent 'disappearance' of the reflexes, indicates that they been replaced with more complex voluntary movements, skills and behaviours (1).

 

Do the Neonatal Reflexes disappear after integration?

As the higher centres of the brain mature, these pre-programmed responses become integrated or less prominent. The neonatal reflexes form the basic building blocks for more complex activities. For this reason, these reflexes will never really disappear. As discussed, the 'disappearance' represents a decrease in the body's reliance upon these reflexes. In certain situations it is crucial to our survival that these pre-programmed responses can be called upon. Furthermore, the neonatal reflexes can reappear in certain disease states (eg. Multiple Sclerosis)(2).

Why would people have Retained Neonatal Reflexes?


It is thought that various forms of trauma can lead to the retention of the neonatal reflexes. This may take the form of physical, chemical or emotional trauma. Physical trauma can include a prolonged difficult childbirth, forceps or vacuum extraction delivery, or even induction. Chemical trauma may be the result of exposure to harmful chemicals such as, recreational drugs or certain medications. Emotional trauma can occur due to the loss of a family member, stressful home environments, or physical/sexual abuse.

 

What can be done to integrate these Retained Neonatal Reflexes?

The great news for children or adults who are struggling with learning, or behavioural issues, is that there are various treatment modalities that can encourage the integration of the neonatal reflexes. In this context, 'integration' describes the building and development of more complex skills, movements and behaviours on top of the more basic responses. To give a computer analogy, the process is similar to installing software updates. As our ability to navigate through our environment improves, our body updates our programs and 'adds on' information to enhance our ability to adapt to the increasing demands of life as we age. Treatment therefore, is aimed at removing interference to the body's ability to adapt.

Gentle alterations to the function and movement of the spine, skull, and peripheral skeleton encourage the body to integrate the neonatal reflexes.

As these physical blocks to development are removed, an individual has a much better chance of reaching their full potential. Learning and behaviour can be enhanced by improving the function of the body.


It is important to note that chiropractors are just one of the many professions that deal with the puzzle of learning and developmental delay. The Moving Towards Balance clinic has a large network of highly skilled professionals who help individuals with learning and developmental difficulties. The network is listed below in alphabetical order.

  • Behavioural Optometrists
  • Developmental therapists
  • Educational Psychologists
  • EEG Neuro-feedback practitioners
  • GP's
  • Kinesiologists
  • Naturopaths
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Osteopaths
  • Paediatricians
  • Physiotherapists
  • Podiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Remedial Teachers
  • Sound Therapists
  • Speech Pathologists

 

References

1) Goddard-Blythe, S. The Well Balanced Child 2004 Hawthorn Press, Gloucestershire

2) Schott JM., Rossor, MN. The grasp and other primitive reflexes Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 2003;74:558-560

3) Rossor, MN. Snouting Pouting and Rooting Practical Neurology 2001;1;119-121

4) Fiorentino, MR. A Basis for Sensorimotor Development - Normal and Abnormal 1981 Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Illinois

5) Gallahue, DL., Ozmun, JC. Understanding Motor Development 4th Ed 1998 McGraw Hill Publisher, Boston

6) Keen, K. Retained Neonatal Reflexes and Learning Difficulty Seminar Notes 2009, Sydney 

 

Benjamin T. Brown

Moving Towards Balance - 9804 1414

 

 
 
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