Primitive reflexes are involuntary, automatic rhythmic movements that begin soon after conception and are hard wired into the brain of the baby as it develops in utero. As the mother moves the stimulation form balance, tactile and kinaesthetic senses in the developing foetus, which prompts rhythmic passive movement. This rhythmic movement activates the flow of electrical impulses along the spinal nerves to the brain stem and through the Reticular Activating System, creating neural fibering into the cortex of the brain.

Primitive reflexes prepare the baby for the birth process and surviving in gravity as a newborn, such as being able to breathe, cry, feed and move. Movement elicits the reflexes – the baby has no control over them. The reflexes are sequential – as each one emerges it activates the next one. As the baby is stimulated and the reflexes are activated over and over again, the brain matures and ‘postural reflexes’ take over – hence giving the child control over the primitive reflexes ideally by the age of three.

Many factors can cause issues with emerging, activating and integrating primitive and/or postural reflexes. When this happens, the child may experience a number of problems such as learning difficulties, speech issues, coordination and movement difficulties, behaviour problems and moodiness.

Identifying issues, and understanding the cause allows us to help integrate the brain and assist the child to activate and integrate any primitive reflexes causing these issues.  The brain is then allowed to mature, and the child is able to achieve amazing changes and improvements in all areas of their development.

I have been working closely with my mentor Margaret Howden who has developed a course specifically for integrating primitive reflexes and the movements that allow this. Margeret has over 30 years of experience in this area, and I am privileged to be able to take her teachings and use them with many clients, including adults, who through retained primitive and/or postural reflexes, have had difficulties and compensated their whole lives. 

This is another tool I can offer at ZEN Equilibrium, helping you to achieve balance and change.  

 

 

“I really love being human. But some days I really wish I could be fairy.”"
Greta, age 4