Retained Neonatal Reflexes

Our nervous system is the pathway that connects our brain to our body, it allows for messages to be sent to everywhere, organs, muscles, ligaments etc., both conscious and subconscious. At birth our nervous system is the most underdeveloped system, yet rapidly develops as we are born.

As we grow, our brain does to, but it also creates pathways to expand upon. When we are born, we have primitive reflexes, these are wired in our brainstem to help us survive – eating, drinking & movement. You may have noticed, when you stroke a baby’s hand & they wrap their hand around your finger? These reflexes drive the development of the pathways for basic motor patterns and reflex response, that will allow us to form complicated purposeful movements. 

These reflexes form our neurological template, they’re predictable and fire without our conscious mind. Each reflex has an integration period, where our brain or higher centre takes over control of our actions, this should happen at approx. 12months old. However, due to life events these reflexes have retained and interfere with performance of a developed nervous system. 

What happens if we retain a reflex? 

A range of symptoms! It’s important to note motor milestones, as movement is one of our main actions that help develop our brain. 

A retained reflex may appear as, bum shuffling, army crawling, one arm tucked up. Or as a toddler, they may be clumsy with their walk or run pattern. In older children or adults, it may display as auditory or sensory processing issues. Do you jump at sudden noises or bright lights? 

In the first two years of life, our right hemisphere develops and is dominant. Any insult (trauma, poor diet, infection or toxicity), in the first 2 years hinders development. We need to ensure the right brain is developed, as this drive left brain development. Any insults after 2 years of age, will affect the left brain. This interference with normal neurodevelopment may allow these reflexes to remain dominant. This is a Retained Neonatal Reflex. 

Retained Neonatal Reflexes may result in an automatic and inappropriate response to environmental stimuli, that can adversely affect your development, behaviour and learning. We use a specific hand-on technique that allows integration of each reflex, by facilitating the connection between brain-body.