RELEASE
Retained Primitive Reflexes
What are Primitive Reflexes?
Primitive reflexes are the first part of the brain to develop, typically emerging from 7 weeks gestation and should only remain active for the first few months of life. In typical development these reflexes naturally inhibit and lie dormant in sequential order during the first year and replacement – postural reflexes - emerge.
Postural reflexes are more mature patterns of response that control balance, coordination and sensory motor development.
Retained primitive reflexes can lead to developmental delays related to disorders like Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD, Sensory processing disorder and other learning difficulties.
The persistence of primitive reflexes contribute to issues such as coordination, balance, sensory perceptions, fine motor skills, sleep disorders, weakened immunity, impulse control, concentration and all levels of social, emotional and academic learning.
The role of primitive reflexes is two-fold; Firstly to help with survival in those delicate early months when the babies nervous system is not fully connected and secondly to assist the baby to move.
Reflex movement is patterned, consistent and involuntary, but this movement helps to make the baby aware of his body and his surroundings. Gradually, as the primitive reflexes are integrated, conscious voluntary movements are then established.
The correct emergence and inhibition of these primitive reflexes happens as connections to higher cortical centres and frontal areas develop.
Primitive reflexes are also suppressed in the course of normal development as postural reactions and muscle tone advance..
If the primitive reflexes are not correctly inhibited and transformed then the Central nervous system doesn’t mature properly and the cerebral cortex will not be “released” to focus on developing more complex skills than basic survival , such as balance, co-ordination, occulomotor skills leading on to fine motor skills, learning and comprehension and emotional maturity.
As a whole, retained primitive reflexes and the subsequent neurological developmental delay can have a far-reaching effect on an individual, effects that are different from person to person and can be as diverse as poor impulse control, anorexia or dyspraxia.
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Information and Treatment
Individually the indications of the reflexes can be a little more uniform and more obvious to spot.
Here are some examples of the primitive reflexes and potential consequences of non-integration.
Fear Paralysis reflex
The Fear Paralysis reflex (FPR) is the first reflex to appear, it develops in utero at around 5-7 weeks, it then integrates and paves the way for the Moro reflex which appears in utero at around 9-12 weeks. If this doesn’t happen at this time and the FPR remains active then the Moro may remain active as well. Similarly if the Moro is retained, then the FPR may not fully integrate. If there is any interruption in the integration and transformation of these two reflexes then it could subsequently disrupt the integration and transformation of all the remaining reflexes – this can then lead to numerous physical and emotional difficulties in the individual’s lifetime. The role of the FPR is to play a protective role for both the mother and the unborn child. When the mother is under threat, the mother will react with a flight or fight response. So that the mothers resources are channelled to help her respond to the threat, the FPR reflex will respond by causing the foetus to experience immediate motor paralysis combined with restricted peripheral blood flow and a lowered heart rate, thus keeping both herself and her unborn child safe. The FPR also protects the foetus by reducing the absorption of Cortisol and Adrenaline that the mother is producing; this has an additional benefit in that if the threat comes in the form of a toxin or a chemical, then the FPR will work to lessen the foetus’s absorption of these too. In terms of the integration of the FPR , this is most important because it supports the child’s emotional and social maturity, non- integration could result in them being “Locked in fear” which ultimately may lead to chronic phobias, severe anxiety, OCD the inability to adjust to social and emotional changes and even panic attacks later in life. Basically the child lives through a filter of fear. In addition to the more obvious fear related issues, as the non-integration of the FPR will disrupt the developmental process of all the other reflexes, it can also lead to visual, auditory, movement and processing challenges throughout the individual’s life.
The Moro Reflex (or “Startle reflex”)
If the Moro reflex has not been inhibited and transformed into the adult “Strauss” reflex the child will be stuck with an immature flight or fight reflex and therefore likely to be hypersensitive to sensory input. It is unlikely that the child will be hypersensitive to all stimulation but some may. To protect themselves from this overload, the child with a retained Moro will be constantly alert and on guard which can trip them into exaggerated reactions to certain stimuli. Vestibular hypersensitivity may trigger responses such as motion sickness, intolerance of fairground rides, poor coordination, particularly with hand-eye movements and balance insecurity (perhaps compounded by poor postural reflexes. Hypersensitivity to touch can lead to a child who is startled by unexpected physical contact, tickling or close physical contact and “invasion” of body space. Visual hypersensitivity can lead to several issues; visual-perceptual problems such as stimulus bound effect (eyes being drawn to the edges of shapes, scenes, pictures, to the detriment of understanding of the whole image), poor reaction to light (pupil response) and tiring under fluorescent light, photo sensitivity, immature eye movements and slow reaction to fast approaching objects such as balls. Hypersensitivity to auditory input may result in an inability to discriminate sounds or to closing out background noise. Distractibility may be profound due to auditory overload and this can lead to fatigue. Physiological and emotional effects of a retained Moro in a child result from the constant flight/fight preparedness and as they mature, the learnt anticipation of their body’s oversensitive reaction to much of life. As a result a child may not match his peers in apparent maturity and might develop one of two coping strategies. He may be shy and fearful (particularly if the fear paralysis reflex is still present), poor at peer group relationships and coping with affection and loathing of sport. Or he may be aggressive excitable, unable to read the body language of his peers and be dominating. A child with a retained Moro may hate change and be unable to be flexible or adaptable to situations, especially those over which he perceives he has no control. The Biochemical effects of a Moro leads to an overproduction of the stress hormones are designed to increase sensitivity and reactivity. Therefore a Moro child is in a loop of over-reaction to stimuli and a hormonal state which is designed to heighten such a response. Coupled with this, the stress chemistry is closely associated with the immune system and an overproduction of stress hormones can lower the efficacy of the immune system leading to the child being more prone to illness along with being more prone to allergies and food sensitivity. Their blood sugar may also be unstable resulting in mood swings and unexplained fatigue.
The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)
There are two main effects of a retained TLR – a vestibular effect and that on muscle tone.
The vestibular effects may present as motion sickness, poor balance, visual-perception problems (the ability to correctly interpret information received through sight), and issues with spatial concepts (complex cognitive skills which allows a child, for example, to know right from left, up and down, on and in. Specific visual problems may include difficulties with near point vision tasks and figure ground effect (the ability to work out which is the object and which is the background). The child may also have poor sequencing skills and a poor concept of time. The effects on tone are dependent on whether the TLR is retained in flexion or extension. TLR in flexion may cause hypotonus – lower than normal tone which can manifest in weakness, poor posture and slumping. A retained TLR in extension may cause hypertonus – increased tone and presents as the lack of smooth movement or toe walking.
The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex ATNR
A child with a retained ATNR can present with one or more of several issues, most as a result of the interference caused to normal physical development and the subsequent effects on learning. An ATNR child is always being forced into the pattern of the ATNR, (when the head is turned to the right the right arm and leg will extend and the left will flex, and vice versa) albeit in a slight fashion, rather than being able to undertake the voluntary movement desired. This can be frustrating for the child and compromises his full physical development.
The ATNR stimulates muscle tone and the mechanisms for balance and aids in and is reinforced by the birthing process. Balance will be affected – in standing a child will feel unstable and insecure unless their head is held still and in the midline.
A retained ATNR can lead to difficulty crossing the midline causing a series of issues; a child needs to learn through movement, that both sides of the body or page for example, can be traversed through the midline. There may be difficulty manipulating an object or passing it from one hand to the other.
Handwriting and/or reading may be compromised as it’s necessary for the hand and eyes to scan and track across a page in unison.
A child may quickly learn coping strategies for reading and writing, they may sit differently with their arm out straight, they may turn the paper to an angle which suits them better rather than having these usually aligned. Their pen grip may be very tight or unusual in an effort to override the desire for the hand to open when the head is turned towards it. Being left or right handed may be confusing as the child does not have a dominant side therefore has to consciously think which hand to use.
Ball skills may be uncoordinated and swimming may be unconventional, Backstroke and breaststroke are fine as the head is kept in the midline but turning the head to breath during front crawl may cause the arm to want to move away from his body.
Cognitive effects may be seen. The subconscious effect required to override a retained ATNR is energy sapping, a child with a retained ATNR may be very capable orally in the classroom but, when writing is required or under stress, such as an exam the child’s performance may not reflect their ability as the fluency required to think and write at the same time may be blocked.
The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex STNR
This is a two phase reflex: When the head tips forward, the arms flex and the legs extend. When the head tilts backwards the arms extend and the legs flex. One of the more obvious signs of a retained STNR is seen in the posture, both active and static. If the STNR pattern has not been inhibited, head position will still affect the tone of the upper and lower body differently. When walking, the gait may have a simian/monkey-like quality. In standing, posture is slouched with shoulders rounded and the chin forward.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor is almost impossible if the STNR is strong, because, with the head flexed/bent, the legs want to extend/straighten. Sitting on a chair at a desk also causes problems because again, if the arms are flexed/bent and the chin down, the legs want to be straight. The child may end up lying on his desk when writing. They may also tuck their feet under their bottom or hook their feet round the legs of the chair to lock their legs and keep them “under control”
As a result of the issues caused by posture, a STNR child may have problems with concentration and attention. They may appear to be fidgety and unable to sit still. A retained STNR will have effects on vision, on accommodation and also on vertical tracking. The child may find actions like catching a ball difficult, as their ability to focus correctly on a moving object (particularly one moving towards them) may be compromised.
The child may also struggle to copy from a blackboard as switching from near to far vision quickly will be slower than for other children.
Vertical tracking, where the eyes move from top to bottom has been shown to be impaired in STNR children. This affects tasks such as lining up information or numbers in columns and can lead to trouble assessing height, such as walking onto a descending escalator or when standing on the edge of a diving board or cliff. A child with a retained STNR may be a messy eater and end up “wearing” their food rather than getting it into their mouth. They may also find swimming a challenge – whenever they raises their head above water their lower limbs will bend, so this is a child who likes to swim under water.
The Spinal Galant Reflex
The child with a Spinal galant reflex beyond the age of one will be unable to sit still, instead will fidget and squirm. They may dislike labels in their clothes, belts and be hypersensitive to anything around their middle. As a result of these unwanted sensations, the child may have a poor attention and concentration span. As they dislike sitting they may prefer to work lying on their tummy.
Nocturnal enuresis or bed wetting in a school age child may be associated with a retained spinal galant reflex, poor bladder control might be as a result of motor developmental delay and may also be triggered by the spinal galant or Perez reflex which can be triggered by pyjamas, bed clothes or when the child lies on their back or rolls over in bed.
What causes retention of Primitive reflexes?
Very little is known about the causes of retained primitive reflexes, there is some scientific research to link it to;
• Environmental toxins,
• Stress, illness or trauma experienced during pregnancy
• Complications during the birthing process i.e. cesarean section, resuscitation, “blue baby”, prolonged jaundice.
Our experience has shown us that there seems to be a hereditary component to retained primitive reflexes. We commonly see more than one family member experiencing issues. Often this will manifest in very different ways from one person to the next. One child/parent may be shy and withdrawn whilst the other is loud and displaying controlling behaviour. One may be underachieving at school whilst the other is has no problem academically but struggles in other areas of development.
Diagnosis and Treatment
At your initial consultation, I will discuss in depth the issues you or your child are experiencing along with a detailed questionnaire with regards to your historical experiences. I will then carry out a series of standardised non-invasive tests to determine whether there are any primitive reflexes still present and to what extent. I will also test for the presence of the adult postural reflexes, balance, co-ordination, pupillary response, eye tracking and other visual functions. This will act as our baseline profile. With this information I can then formulate a specifically tailored treatment plan using a combination of tactile skin stimulation and physical exercises.
Babies develop initially through touch and then movement, therefore the aim of this programme is to mimic the stimuli and movements that should have taken place naturally and thus giving the nervous system a chance to restart developing normally.
The programme is then continued at home and performed once or twice a day, either by an adult or the individual.
I will then invite you back for a review every 6-8 weeks to assess your progression and adapt the programme as necessary.
Who Can Be Treated
Whilst a lot of my clients are children with various issues around learning and age -appropriate behaviour, neurological developmental delay can affect us at any age. As we grow up we can adapt around the retained reflexes but particularly with a retained Moro reflex this will result in an extremely sensitive “flight/flight” response, which results in excessive levels of stress hormones being produced and feelings of physical anxiety. Often we see teenagers entering puberty and exam time unable to cope and displaying; extreme anxiety, difficulty with focus, difficulty with sleep, OCD, issues with anger management, eating disorders and low self- esteem, to name a few.
We also see a lot of adults with retained primitive reflexes; often they have formed coping mechanisms to deal with the uncomfortable effects, therefore in adults it tends to present more with issues around mental health. Similar to teenagers we see issues with; depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, OCD, substance abuse, eating disorders and excessive exercise. By inhibiting the Moro reflex, this allows the “flight/flight” response to mature and transform into the adult startle reflex, which is much more measured and gives us the ability to rationally assess a situation and decide whether we need to react to it.
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AMATSU
Amatsu is a whole body treatment that works with the body’s soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and organs), to bring the body into its correct alignment.
Amatsu therapy originates from Japan, where it has been used to treat injuries and ailments for thousands of years, the techniques passed on from Grandmaster to Grandmaster and eventually shared with the Western world, where it has been underpinned with Western science.
It is based on the principles of natural movement and can be used to help many musculo-skeletal and lifestyle related conditions, as well as supporting the restoration of general health and well-being.
Amatsu is suitable for people of all ages and those with limited mobility.
Sandy Denyer
I have 20 years’ experience as a practitioner and teacher of various physical therapies. During this time, I have observed physical, emotional and behavioral patterns in many of my clients that I felt were linked but couldn’t explain. I felt frustrated that I couldn’t always find the fundamental issue.
I was recommended to Bob when looking for help with my son’s emotional issues. It was with relief that I finally found the answers I had been looking for. Bob explained that my son was experiencing Neurological developmental delay due to retained primitive reflexes.
As my son went through the programme it became apparent that my whole family were displaying various aspects of developmental delay. Thus, we all began the programme and subsequently I was encouraged to train with Bob.
This has given me a much deeper understanding of the impact developmental delay can have on so many aspects of our lives and how it restricts us emotionally, academically, socially and physically.
I’m enjoying seeing a wide range of people in Windsor and in my own practice in St Albans. Neurological Developmental delay affects everyone in a wide-ranging variety of ways; I find it really rewarding to be able to help people overcome so many diverse issues.
Prior to working as a Physical Therapist, I spent several years in the Pharmaceutical industry, which has given me a good understanding of conventional medicine. With this in mind, I’m particularly interested in some of the conditions developmental delay can present such as ADHD and anxiety which are often treated with medication.
Now all my family have successfully finished the programme and I completed my training with Bob in June 2019.
Sandy studied Amatsu with Stephen Bates & Jane Langston and qualified as an Amatsu (Anma & Seitai) practitioner in December 2000.
She completed her third year (Shinden) with Dennis Bartram and Billy Doolan. Sandy completed a Fourth year in Acupuncture and cupping with Phil Lawes.
Sandy also completed her teacher training with Jane Langston and ran her own school with Ann Russell and Sarah Wyndham, until family commitments took over.
Jamie Speary
Jamie qualified in Anma, the first level of Amatsu, in November 2012 and a year later passed the second level, Seitai, to become a fully qualified Amatsu Practitioner. Trained at the accredited Amatsu Training School and then set up Herts Clinic in February 2014.
In 2016 qualified in acupuncture for structural dysfunction and cupping foe pain management.
During previous career as a landscape gardener, Jamie suffered from lower back, shoulder and knee pain as well as other niggles. All that changed after having Amatsu Therapy. Amazed at how it worked and how much better he felt knew this was the career change for him.
Andrea Thornton's video is available on Amazon Prime
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Attention-Please-Andrea-Thornton/dp/B07ZPKVVFY/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=andrea&qid=1573743548&s=instant-video&sr=1-5
Contact Us
Call Sandy 07966 774462 or email sandydenyer@hotmail.com
