Primitive Reflexes

Movement and a good environment is essential for babies. They have to follow their inborn primitive reflex pattern programmes from when they first start developing in-utero through to their complete integration into the whole body movement system. When steps are missed along the way whether because of pre-natal trauma, birth injury, environmental conditions or just too long a time spent in inappropriate baby equipment with very little time spent exploring the floor, then the foundations of brain organisation and postural abilities are not established.

Rhythmic movement training is about resetting these foundations. The simple healing exercises stimulate the ability of the brain and nervous system to renew and create new nerve connections and how these exercises help a person to develop, mature and heal physically, emotionally and mentally. 

People with symptoms of ADHD and learning difficulties always have retained primitive reflexes. However, they may not seem to have obvious motor problems. Sometimes people with attention and learning difficulties may even have good motor abilities and be good at sports and gymnastics. More often than not people with attention problems have low muscle tone, poor posture and difficulties doing simple rhythmic movements. In such cases the motor problems are usually more prominent.

Many children and adults who have retained primitive reflexes have never had any attention or learning problems. They may instead have visual, motor or emotional problems or long-term pain in the muscles and joints.

Integration of primitive reflexes is crucial to optimal health as it is the foundations for nervous system regulation, correct posture and proprioception. Without this integration, people often go into freeze or fight/flight as the neural networks to the rest/digest has not been made.

Not many are aware of this and it often gets overlooked.

I test and assess for un-integrated primitive reflexes and then show you which exercises to do to integrate them.