Retained Neonatal Reflexes
What is a reflex?
A reflex is an involuntary action that occurs in the body to enhance the chances of survival, growth or development, or to protect the body.
[Definition] "Any automatic, unthinking, often habitual behaviour or response."; "Pertaining to an involuntary response to a stimulus"
What does integration mean?
Certain reflexes are necessary for a foetus, neonate or baby to enhance its chance of survival and to allow it to grow. As the baby's brain develops and matures, many of these reflexes become obsolete or superseded by more advanced brain functions.
As this happens the maturing brain "integrates" these obsolete reflexes allowing development to continue.
What does "retained" mean?
A "retained" reflex is one that does not get integrated at the correct or appropriate time. Retention of a reflex will slow development, as the next stage cannot proceed until prior stages are completed.
Why do reflexes become "retained"?
A reflex will be retained if the baby does not express (use) the reflex at the appropriate time or for the appropriate function. For example, some reflexes are to be used in the birth process. If a child is born via caesarean section these reflexes will not be utilised and the chance of retention is very high.
Alternatively, any stress that the baby faces, either during the pregnancy, during the birth or during the first 12 months of life will increase the chance of retained neonatal reflexes. These stresses may be in the form of physical stress, chemical stress or emotional stress. Given that the birth process can contain any or all of these elements, it is a crucial time in a child's development.
Failure of the Neonatal Reflexes to Integrate
Failure of the neonatal reflexes to integrate at the correct time will limit nervous system development (neurodevelopment) and will result in children being below their potential. This may be displayed as behavioural problems, learning difficulties, poor development, poor posture, poor social skills or poor co-ordination.
Clinical research has shown that retention of these reflexes is not permanent. Specific chiropractic corrections, followed by input from other therapies (movement therapy, sound therapy, vision therapy etc.) can help the child's brain and nervous system to integrate any retained neonatal reflexes, allowing the individual to move towards their true potential.
The following is a list of the most common neonatal reflexes. These reflexes have been grouped into the following categories:
Reflexes for survival
Reflexes assisting in the birth process
Reflexes assisting with feeding
Reflexes assisting with posture
It is important to note that every one of these reflexes has more than just one function within the body, but for the sake of simplicity they have been grouped as such.
THE NEONATAL REFLEXES
1. Reflexes for Survival
The Fear Paralysis Reflex (FPR)
Also called the "withdrawal" reflex (ie: a child becomes withdrawn), it is the first reflex to be integrated. Failure to do so may effect the integration of other reflexes. The FPR when it is retained does not only mean quiet withdrawal, it may result in screaming tantrums.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Oversensitive to sensory stimulation (loud noise etc.)
- Difficulty speaking and learning to speak
- Increased sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) risk
- Possible panic disorders
- Easily scared; screamy child ("scaredy cat"); quiet/shy withdrawn
The Moro Reflex
Also called the startle reflex, it is the baby's "fight/flight" reflex to protect the baby from harm. As the baby is not able to understand what is potentially harmful in its environment, the Moro reflex is set off by excessive information to any of the baby's senses (loud noise, sudden movement etc.)
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Difficulty with new experiences
- Difficulty socialising, accepting or giving affection
- Aggression; highly excitable; unable to relax
- Anxiety & mood swings
- Oversensitive to any of the senses
- Prone to chronic illness
- Excessive muscle tension
- Often labelled ADD or ADHD
- Low self-esteem
The Palmer Reflex
This reflex plays an important role in the survival of the newborn as it involves grasping on to everything placed in the hands. As the baby grows and develops, the pincer grip will begin to develop (around 36 weeks of age).
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Lack of fine motor skills
- Poor dexterity
- Poor catching skills
- Poor pencil grip
- Poor hand-writing
2. Reflexes Assisting in the Birth Process
The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)
Primitive movement of the head, arms and legs. The ATNR aids in the birth process and in developing hand-eye co-ordination and judgment of distance.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Difficulty co-ordinating crawling
- Child easily distracted
- Poor hand-eye co-ordination
- Difficulty with pencil grip; messy writing
- Letter reversal (b/d or p/q)
- Losing of place on the page with reading activities (using finger placement under words to help)
- Poor distinguishing between left and right
- Difficulty performing tasks that require the child to cross the midline (use right arm on left side of the body etc.)
The Spinal Galant Reflex (SGR)
Plays an active role in the birth process with hip movement. Also associated with bladder control.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Child that cannot sit still; "ants-in-the-pants"
- Poor concentration
- Poor bladder control; bed wetting
- Poor posture and gait
- Possible scoliosis (curvature of the spine)
- Lack of development of rolling reflexes as a child develops making it difficult for the child to roll-over
The Plantar Reflex
This reflex assists the foetus to develop in-utero due to the kicking action associated with it. The more the baby kicks in-utero the greater the nervous system development.
The plantar reflex also assists the baby during the birth process, as he/she is able to kick to push themselves along the birth canal.
Kicking also aids in the development of the balance system prior to the child gaining an upright posture and weight-bearing.
Caesarean-born babies have not had this reflex utilised, often resulting in retention of this reflex.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- No/poor crawling ability
- Poor hand-eye co-ordination (due to lack of crawling)
- Poor balance
- Difficulty performing tasks that require the child to cross the midline (use right arm on left side of the body etc.)
3. Reflexes Assisting with Feeding
Juvenile Suck Reflex
The juvenile suck reflex is the baby's feeding reflex, using the tongue pushing forward to stimulate the nipple/breast during feeding to increase the let-down of milk.
Swallowing for an adult sees the tongue move backwards to assist in pushing food to the back of the mouth. This is the opposite to the juvenile swallowing.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Protruding tongue
- Feeding and swallowing problems
- Speech and language problems
Rooting Reflex
This is the baby's response to stimulation around the mouth. Stroking the side of the baby's mouth will cause the baby's head to turn towards the stimulation.
This reflex is utilised by the baby's mouth being stimulated during breast-feeding by the nipple of the mother.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Feeding and swallowing problems
- Speech and language problems
The Palmomental Reflexes
Palmo = hand; Mental = mouth
This reflex in the baby is associated with breast-feeding. Here movement of the mouth and movement of the hand occur simultaneously as the hand aids in the let-down of milk by stroking the breast during feeding.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Excessive movement of the mouth when performing tasks with the hands such as writing, cutting, drawing
- Protrusion of the tongue during work with the hands
- Feeding and swallowing problems
- Speech and language problems
- Children with a habit of biting
- Children who stutter
4. Reflexes Assisting with Posture
The Tonic Labrynthine Reflex (TLR)
This is an important reflex when developing a sense of balance and position of the body. The TLR is also linked to the muscle tone within the body.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- Altered balance and co-ordination
- Floppy or rigid baby (stiff/jerky movements)
- Impaired eye function and hearing
- Late learning to walk/toe walking
- Head often tilted to one side whilst writing
- Letter reversal (b/d or p/q)
- Prone to travel sickness
- Sequencing difficulties (ie: learning days of the week, months of the year etc.)
The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)
This reflex develops after birth and is related to the baby's posture as he/she becomes prepared to crawl.
RETENTION LEADS TO ...
- No/poor crawling (commando crawl)
- Baby shuffling along on their bottom
- Excessive leaning over the page (slumping) when sitting at a desk writing
- Uneasiness when sitting in a chair (swinging on the chair, squirming etc.)
- Clumsiness; lack of co-ordination (especially with sports)
- Poor concentration/attention span
- Difficulty copying from blackboard
Other Neonatal and Postural Reflexes
The neonatal/primitive reflexes mentioned in this summary are the most commonly affected reflexes currently discovered. There are more reflexes not written about here that you may read about elsewhere.
Clinical research is continually being undertaken to improve our knowledge and application of the correction of these reflexes.
Contact Details
If you have any questions about the content in this document please do not hesitate to contact Jonathan. I am more than happy to help you understand the complexities of this subject and empower you with the knowledge to identify children with retained neonatal reflexes.
Credits
I wish to acknowledge the work of Keith Keen (Chiropractor) and Sue Larter (Behavioural Optometrist) in the discovery and development of procedures to aid in the correction of the retained neonatal reflexes.