What are reflexes?

Moro Reflex

If it persists in an older child it can be associated with:

  • Hypersensitivity
  • Stimulus bound (cannot ignore stimuli to focus attention on one thing – has to pay attention to everything, very distractable)
  • Sensory overload which can result in a child switching off or  daydreaming
  • Anxiety
  • Emotional and social sensitivity
  • Need to control and manipulate events
  • Physical timidity
  • Allergies and lowered immunity
  • Dislikes change or surprise – poor adaptability

STNR Reflex

If it persists in an older child can affect:

  • Integration of upper and lower portion of the body
  • Sitting posture (The child tends to slump when sitting at a dest or table)
  • Poorly developed muscle tone (The child is more likely to turn and twist at a table resulting in inattention and hyperactivity)

ATNR Reflex

If it persists can be associated with:

  • Hand eye coordination difficulties
  • What they write is of a lesser standard than what they can do orally
  • Sloppy writing
  • Visual tracking more difficult
  • Bilateral integration is more difficult (ie. using two sides of the body in an integrated way)
  • Mixed handedness above the age of 8 years.

Spinal Galant

If it persists it can be associated with:

  • Ability to sit still
  • Attention
  • Co-ordination
  • Posture
  • Sometimes associated with bed wetting

TLR Reflex

If it persists it can be associated with:

  • Tendency to reverse letters or mix them up if they are similar
  • Sequencing difficulties, so the child will find it hard to learn the days of the week, months of the year, times tables or remembering instructions.
  • Postural problems – either floppy or tight muscles and the tendency to walk on toes.
  • History of motion sickness
  • Orientation or spacial difficulties which directly impacts on time, understanding and giving instructions and maths ability