KPIMT

KPIMT 소개

Primitive Reflex

Primitive reflexes are a set of programmes in the brain which are present in all humans for survival. They are integrated and switched off when an infant starts to have conscious control of his/her movements. They have a limited time span and are switched off or integrated through normal childhood activities. If the reflexes are retained they can lead to neuro-developmental delay and poor sensory integration e.g. they can impair balance which will cause a child difficulty in judging space, distance, depth and speed. Balance is vital for everyone, for example, when astronauts lose their sense of balance in space they start to write from right to left, reverse numbers and letters and produce mirror writing. The following reflexes are the ones that are most often retained.

- Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex: affects balance, visual tracking and often leads to reading problems - Tonic Neck-Righting Reflex: prevents the child from achieving good posture and balance. - Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Righting Reflex: can lead to poor pencil grip leading to difficulty copying off the board and poor recording skills   as well as an aversion to writing. It is the reflex most often involved in poor academic performance. - Moro Reflex: causes children to be hypersensitive to sound,light and touch and therefore causes concentration and attention problems.   It also contributes to emotional problems and is involved poor and irrational behaviour.

  • Fear Paralysis reflex

  • MORO REFLEX

  • ROOTING REFLEX

  • SUCK REFLEX

  • ASYMMETRICAL TONIC
    NECK REFLEX

  • PALMAR REFLEX AND
    PLANTAR REFLEX

  • SPINAL GALANT REFLEX

  • TONIC LABYRINTHINE REFLEX

  • SYMMETRICAL TONIC
    NECK REFLEX

Fear Paralysis reflex

The Fear Paralysis begins to function very early after conception and should normally be integrated before birth. It can be characterised by withdrawal, reluctance at being involved in anything new, fear of different circumstances, clinginess, timidity etc.

The Fear Paralysis Reflex may present in any of the following symptoms;

Anxiety and low stress tolerance

Temper tantrums

Increased sensory sensitivity

Inability to cope with any change

Breath holding

Insecure and overly clingy

Obsessive traits

Stress paralysis, can’t think and move simultaneous

Sleep issues

MORO REFLEX

This reflex holds the child in a flight and fight response. The reflex has to cover all eventualities so the child’s sympathetic hormonal and neurological response is activated, preparing the body to protect itself. It is the reflex that allows the body to take the first breath of life automatically.

The Moro Reflex should be integrated between 4 – 5 months and my present as any of the following symptoms;

Hyperactivity;

Extreme sensitivity to sudden movement, noise or light

Difficulty getting to or staying asleep

Impulsive or distractive behaviour

Inappropriate response to a situation

Food sensitivities

Emotional and social immaturity

Unable to relax

If the Moro reflex persists beyond three to six months of age it becomes an automatic therefore uncontrollable overreaction, overriding the newly acquired higher centre decision making.

ROOTING REFLEX

This reflex is there in preparation for suckling. The combination of rooting and suck reflexes ensures that a baby’s head turns toward a source of food and the mouth opens wide enough to accommodate a nipple.

The Rooting Reflex should be integrated between 3 – 4 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms;

Increased sensitivity around the lips and mouth

Speech and articulation problems

Dribbling, difficulty swallowing and chewing

They may be fussy eaters, particularly with texture and are often thumb suckers

Poor manual dexterity

Associated with this reflex is a response known as the Babkin response, which is a neurological link between the hand and the mouth. This can be seen as kneading movements of the hand associated with suckling. This is a two way response; hand movements can affect speech and speech my affect hand movement and dexterity.

SUCK REFLEX

If a Suck Reflex is not adequately integrated, the tongue projects forwards before moving backward in the normal swallow action. This tongue thrust continually pushes the front teeth forwards, altering the shape of the maxillary arch.

The Suck Reflex should be integrated between 3 – 4 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms;

Speech delay

Articulation and pronunciation difficulties

Swallowing and chewing problems

Overbite of the upper jaw

Involuntary tongue movements when writing or drawing

A lisp

Problems with breast feeding

ASYMMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX

The reflex continues after birth and plays an important part in the development of hand eye coordination, object and distance perception.

If the ATNR is retained, difficulty may be experienced with tasks which involve both left and right sides of the body including eyes, ears, limbs etc. Establishment of dominant hand, foot, ear or eye may be difficult. Turning the head may cause a visual image to momentarily disappear or parts of the visual field to be missed. Visual tracking and judgement of distance may be therefore be affected.

The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex should be integrated between 6 – 7 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms;

Difficulty catching a ball

Poor handwriting, abnormal pencil grip

Handwriting problems, does not like cursive writing

Difficulty establishing right and left body dominance

Poor distance judgement

Shoulder and neck problems

PALMAR REFLEX AND PLANTAR REFLEX

Palmar and PlantarreflexThe Palmar Reflex and the Plantar reflex should integrate at about the same time, between 4 – 6 months. The Palmar and Plantar reflexes are part of a group of reflexes that develop in the uterus and whose common characteristic is to grasp.

Palmar and PlantarreflexThe Palmar and Plantar reflexes should be integrated between 5 – 6 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms;

Palmar

Poor fine motor skills;

Poor pen-grip and handwriting;

Slumped posture when writing or working over desk;

Doesn’t enjoy writing;

Poor spelling.

Plantar

Balance and walking is affected

Delayed walking beyond 14 months

Awkward running style and poor balance

Toes curl under when putting on shoes;

Both the Palmar and Plantar reflexes are thought to be a continuation of an earlier stage of human evolution, when it was necessary for the baby to cling to its mother for safety. If retained beyond the first few months, these reflexes can impede independent finger and toe movement, affecting fine motor skills such as writing.

PSPINAL GALANT REFLEX

This reflexes wriggling motion appears to take an active role in the birth process, with movements of the hip helping the baby to work its way down the birth canal.

The Spinal Galant Reflex should be integrated between 12 – 13 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms:

Inability to sit still

Attention and concentration problems

Bedwetting and poor bladder control

Clumsiness, often falling over

Possible development of scoliosis

Irritated by tight waistbands around this area or tucking shirt in

May have auditory processing issues

The Spinal Galant reflex may be activated by light pressure in the lower back. In the classroom, just leaning back against the chair may activate the reflex and wriggling in bed whilst asleep may cause bed wetting.

TONIC LABYRINTHINE REFLEX

This reflexes wriggling motion appears to take an active role in the birth process, with movements of the hip helping the baby to work its way down the birth canal.

The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex may present itself in the following:

Poor balance and co ordination

Motion sickness

Orientation difficulties, judging space, distance and depth

Auditory processing difficulties

Slouchy tension in body

Dislike of heights and fairground rides

If the Tonic Labyrinthine reflex is not integrated it will constantly disturb the sense of balance and the integration with other sensory systems. This has an effect on reading skills and can cause car sickness.

SYMMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX

The STNR is helps the baby with the action of crawling and to start tracking, as well as establishing contralateral movement.

The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex should be integrated between 12 – 13 months, and may present as any of the following symptoms;

Crawling in unusual ways

Poor hand – eye co-ordination

Walking on toes

Odd pattern of walking

Slumping at desk

Constant eye fatigue

Poor organisation skills

Many children have one or two reflexes that have not been integrated and may be functioning well. It is only when there is a cluster of reflexes that have not been integrated that problems begin to present themselves in the form of feeding issues, emotional issues , learning issues and behavioural issues.

Common questions that would suggest rete

Problems in pregnancy.

Problems in delivery.

Problems with birthing
   (forceps, suction, C-section, induction, long, short).

Difficulty in feeding or keeping milk down.

Early or late walking – before 10 months or after 16 months.

Unusual crawling action or skip the cross crawling stage.

Late when learning to talk (2-3 words by 2 years).

Serious illness or seizures in the first 18 months of life.

Signs of eczema, asthma or allergies or recurrent sinus or ear
   infections or headaches.

Adverse reactions to childhood vaccinations.

Bed wetting regularly past the age of 5.

Thumb sucking past the age of 5.

Problems with travel / motion sickness.

Trouble establishing hand dominance or crossing the midline
   with objects.

Over reaction to sudden loud noise.

Common questions that would suggest

1Problems learning to read and / or write in the early years
   at school

2Difficulty telling the time on an analogue clock.

3Difficulty riding a bicycle.

4Difficulty catching a ball and poor coordination.

5Problems being still.

Problems when copying from the board.

7Occasionally miss letters or write them backwards or missing
   words out when reading.

8Awkward pencil grip.

9Behavioural problems at school or problems with going
   to school.

10Problems making friends.

If you have answered yes to some or all of these questions then it is likely that there are some retained reflexes causing problems as they are a sign of an immature central nervous system. The child Centre Method can provide assessment and treatment.