Reflex Integration
What is a Reflex?
If you touch a baby on the pad beneath the toes (see picture to the left), the baby’s toes will curl forward. This is plantar reflex and like all primitive reflexes, it is present to help babies learn to move. A reflex is an automatic motor response to a stimulus. In this case, the stimulus is the touch to the baby’s foot and the response (which is involuntary and instantaneous) is the curling of the toes.
Reflexes are extremely important to a child's developing body and brain. They emerge in utero and infancy, help with the birthing process, protect babies in the early months of life, and initiate movement. Each reflex carries out a specific task for specific motor development skills. For example:
Plantar reflex helps develop strength and coordination in the toes and feet preparing the baby to crawl and eventually walk.
Hands grasp reflex develops muscle strength and dexterity in the hands forming the foundation for fine motor movement and hand strength.
Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) helps develop neck and head control, good posture, and balance.
When each reflex fulfills its function, it becomes inactive (or integrated) and acts as a foundation for one or more reflexes further on in the developmental sequence.
When a child's early reflexes integrate, he or she is able to easily progress through the sequence of developmental movements (including crawling) which cause children to become neurologically organized and meet their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive milestones with ease.
Reflexes Are Critical to Learning
When these early reflexes fail to integrate (remain active) they interfere with motor development, visual and auditory processing ability, coordination, balance and cognitive skills - those same abilities children need to be successful learners (both in and out of the classroom). This can also cause sensory, social, attention, and behavioural problems.
Reflexes and Learning Disabilities
Studies show that children with learning disabilities often have a similar cluster of active reflexes. These active reflexes are obstacles that interfere with their ability to take in information, process it, and use it in an efficient manner.
Reflexes and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Children with ASD often have many active reflexes. This makes it difficult for them to progress through the sequence of early childhood movements that typical developing children execute with ease. These early movements are extremely important to the development of neurological organization. When children do not do these movements (crawling for example), or they do them in a different manner (because of active reflexes) this can impact every area of their development.
Integrating Reflexes to Get Back on Track
It is possible to integrate those reflexes which are still active and presenting obstacles to learning (social, emotional, behavioural as well as academic). Rainbow Connections Developmental Therapies combines reflex integration and neurodevelopmental movement techniques to create individualized programs for children. These programs build and strengthen neural pathways so children can succeed.