The 10 Key Primitive Reflexes
Understanding the specific building blocks of development
Primitive Reflexes
This page provides detailed information about the reflexes we assess and address.
Understanding how each reflex functions and what happens when it's retained can help explain the challenges your child may be experiencing.
All Reflexes
Protects against falling and sudden threats.
Signs of Retention:
- Hypersensitivity to noise, light, or touch
- Difficulty with transitions and changes
- Anxiety and emotional overwhelm
- Poor immune function
Impact: Creates a constant state of alertness that interferes with learning and emotional regulation.
Assists with birth process and early hand-eye coordination.
Signs of Retention:
- Difficulty crossing the body's midline
- Challenges with reading and writing
- Poor bilateral coordination
- Mixed dominance (left/right confusion)
Impact: Interferes with skills requiring both sides of the body to work together.
Helps develop crawling patterns.
Signs of Retention:
- Poor posture when sitting
- Difficulty copying from the board
- Challenges transitioning from floor to standing
- Problems with swimming strokes
Impact: Affects posture and the ability to move upper and lower body independently.
Helps with muscle tone and balance development.
Signs of Retention:
- Poor balance and spatial awareness
- Motion sickness
- Difficulty judging distances
- Toe walking or poor muscle tone
Impact: Creates ongoing balance and spatial processing challenges.
Assists with birth and early crawling movements.
Signs of Retention:
- Fidgeting and inability to sit still
- Bedwetting beyond age 5
- Poor concentration
- Hip rotation when walking
Impact: Creates constant movement needs that interfere with attention and learning.
Develops grip strength and hand function.
Signs of Retention:
- Poor handwriting and fine motor skills
- Difficulty with tool use
- Excessive pencil pressure
- Hand fatigue with writing tasks
Impact: Prevents the development of sophisticated hand skills needed for academic success.
Helps with feeding and oral development.
Signs of Retention:
- Hypersensitivity around the mouth
- Speech difficulties
- Excessive chewing or oral habits
- Difficulty with certain food textures
Impact: Affects speech development and oral-motor skills.
Connects hand and mouth for feeding.
Signs of Retention:
- Difficulty with speech articulation
- Poor hand-mouth coordination
- Challenges with fine motor tasks requiring precision
Impact: Affects the integration of oral and manual skills.
Part of normal neurological development.
Signs of Retention:
- Difficulty with balance and walking
- Poor proprioception (body awareness)
- Coordination challenges
Impact: Interferes with smooth, coordinated movement patterns.
Develops postural control and coordination.
Signs of Retention:
- Poor overall coordination
- Difficulty with complex movements
- Challenges with sports and physical activities
Impact: Affects the development of sophisticated movement patterns.
How We Assess Integration
Our qualified practitioners use gentle, non-invasive assessments to check each reflex. These assessments help us understand:
Understanding Your Child's Profile
Every child is unique. Some may have several retained reflexes, while others might have just one or two causing significant impact. Our assessment process creates a clear picture of your child's specific needs.