Retained Primitive Reflexes Explained
Posted on 02. May, 2010 by admin in (02) 9905 9099, Blogroll, www.neurohealthchiro.com.au
Retained Primitive Reflexes (Aka “Retained Neonatal Reflexes”) Explained
By Jessica Hambly, Chiropractor- Neurohealth Chiropractic Allambie, Northern Beaches
For additional information on the services of Neurohealth Chiropractic, or our expert and trusted care for babies, children and during pregnancy click here to visit our website
“A lovely holistic experience for our whole family. The care at Neurohealth has re-engaged our children and ourselves with a better awareness of our bodies. Some key issues were easily addressed to set up a better future.” R. Perry, Forestville
When we are in the womb, and in the first few months of life, we have no way of protecting ourselves against the stresses of the outside world. For this reason, our nervous system develops an automatic set of reflexes, which bypass our conscious brain, to activate our defence mechanisms when exposed to certain stimuli. Ideally, as our nervous systems develop these reflexes are no longer needed and the developing higher centres of our brain take over. These reflexes are there for the rest of our lives, however for mature voluntary responses to take place, the display of these reflexes must be controlled by the higher centres of our brain.
It is the display of these reflexes continuing after normal time of integration that causes problems in perception, behaviour, learning and hormonal function. As these reflexes don’t require conscious involvement, the child (or adult) has little or no control over their elicitation. There is little use trying to force extra teaching or behaviour modification on a system where the basic modules for learning and behaviour are not working properly.
What are Retained Primitive Reflexes (Retained Neonatal Reflexes)?
Primitive Reflexes are there from birth, hardwired into our brain for our survival. However as our nervous system develops, and other areas of the brain begin to come online, these reflexes should ideally go away. However this is not always the case, and subsequently our brain biochemistry remains unbalanced. For children this can result in symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, learning difficulties, co-ordination problems or bedwetting, just to name a few. These reflexes can also be addressed in adults who also experience anxiety and unexplained moodiness.
The correction of these reflexes is very gentle, most children dont even notice that it’s happening. It mainly involves gentle cranial corrections done while the child is laying down, or even in Mum or Dad’s arms.
So how do we end up with these reflexes?
Why didn’t they become a part of our nervous system when they were supposed to? The answer is usually an untimely stress or trauma on a developing body – whether that stress be physical, chemical, or hormonal. The birth process itself can be traumatic enough on a young spine!
What are some signs that I or my child may have retained primitive reflexes?
These reflexes ideally begin to function in a particular order, and are integrated into our nervous system in a specific sequence. If they are retained out of sequence, they may disturb the development and integration of other reflexes. If they are retained beyond their normal age of integration they can disturb some or all of the functions of the higher centres of our brain, which includes
“ Gross motor coordination
“ Fine motor coordination
“ Visual function
“ Cognition and expression
“ Social and individual behaviour
“ Auditory perception and integration
“ Vestibular integration (which can include balance and motion sickness)
Developmental delay and learning difficulty are multifactorial problems, and therefore require an approach from many different angles. This approach aims to help integrate those building blocks that should have already become a part of the child’s nervous system. It is a very gentle structural correction, which can be likened to fixing the “hardware” of a computer. The performance and abilities of a child can be considered the “software”. To try and fix the software when the hardware is malfunctioning, takes up a lot of memory space and slows processing (like that seen with learning disabilities). With the right structure, or “hardware” in place, this does not mean that the unit functions perfectly, but it makes correcting any “software” concerns a lot easier.
What does the treatment involve?
There are fifteen reflexes associated in the primitive reflex category. Depending at what point these reflexes failed to integrate, corrections may be required to some or all of these reflexes, in the order in which they were supposed to have integrated. As these corrections act on the nervous and hormonal systems of our body, they can take 10- 12weeks to correct, as we allow the patient’s system to settle for at least a week after each cranial correction.
Neurohealth Chiropractics female Chiropractor Jess Hambly has extensive experience and training in detecting and treating retained primitive reflexes.
“Recently, my six year old son developed motion sickness. It became so bad it prevented him from taking the school bus home. Jess Hambly tested and reintegrated my son’s primitive reflexes and explained that one of these, the labyrinthine reflex, was causing the motion sickness. My son is now on the bus home each day and the motion sickness has been eradicated.”
C.M. Allambie Heights
“Thanks to Jess, there has been a huge improvement with my childrens behaviour, health and sleeping. There has also been improvement in my own health and sleeping. Jess has helped with allergies and primitive reflexes as both of my children were born through c-section (including one emergency c-section)”
S. Cohen
For more information on primitive reflexes or a list of the specialist services that Neurohealth provides please visit our website
If you would like any more information about our gentle, safe and effective health care please don’t hesitate to:
Call us on: 02 9905 9099
Email us: admin@neurohealthchiro.com.au
Visit our website: www.neurohealthchiro.com.au
33- 35 Kentwell Road, Allambie NSW 2100
(5 mins from Manly, Dee Why and Frenchs Forest)
Neurohealth Chiropractic Treats an Extensive Variety of Musculoskeletal and Nervous System Related Issues. Our Clinic Has Had Much Success With The Following Conditions:
- Back Pain, Lower Back Pain, Neck Pain, Muscular Pain and Sciatica
- Headaches and Migraines
- Numbness, Pins and Needles
- Disc and Joint Injuries
- Knee, Foot and Ankle Pain as well as Feet Issues (bunions, heel spurs, orthotic prescription)
- Allergy Desensitization
- Childhood Concerns Including: Primitive Reflexes, Bed Wetting, Colic, Allergies, Poor Immunity, Ear Aches, Behavioural Concerns & Concentration Difficulties
- Pregnancy Related Concerns Including Back Pain, Stress
- Emotional Management using Neuro-Emotional Technique
- Poor Posture
- Women’s Issues including Menopause and Excessive Menstrual Symptoms
- Sporting Injuries
If you would like any more information about our gentle, safe and effective chiropractic care please don’t hesitate to call Neurohealth Chiropractic- Northern Beaches. We have experienced male and female chiropractors available :
Call us on: 02 9905 9099
Email us: admin@neurohealthchiro.com.au
Visit our website: www.neurohealthchiro.com.au
33-35 Kentwell Road, Allambie NSW 2100 (5 mins from Manly, Dee Why and Frenchs Forest)
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