What is Neuro Developmental Delay?
Neuro Developmental Delay (NDD) is a term used to describe an immature and underdeveloped nervous and reflex system that have held up stages of early development. The immature reflexes interfere with subsequent motor development, visual functioning, hand eye coordination and perceptual skills of the child.
If not dealt with the physical inabilities will lead to frustration, hyperactivity, stress, hypersensitivity and later on emotional problems. The problem can affect the child’s physical capabilities and manifest itself as a learning, coordination or behavioural problem.
If the problem persists to adulthood the symptoms include agraphobia, excessive reaction to stimulii, anxiety, panic attacks, difficulty making decisions and poor self esteem. If you recognise and or are concerned about any of the listed areas then it is worth discussing them with a trained Neuro Developmental Therapist.
Primitive Reflexes and Neuro Developmental Delay
Primitive reflexes are sometimes called survival reflexes and play an important part in the development of the nervous system. The development of the nervous system starts from conception, then develops in a regular sequence and this sequence is the same for all humans regardless of race or culture. The primitive reflexes are controlled from the brain stem. The brain stem is the first part of brain up from the spinal cord.
Each reflex plays an important part in the necessary growth of the foetus or young child. Each reflex develops in a sequential order and prepares the way for the next stage of development. They start developing in the womb and continue in the first six months of life and then are broken up by the time the child is 6 months old. If the primitive reflexes do not break up they will be retained and will cause immaturities within the nervous system of the child as they grow. This will be seen as Neuro Developmental Delay and can affect the child in many ways including their emotional development, social maturity and academic progress. (please see – more about reflexes)
If the problem persists to adulthood the symptoms include agraphobia, excessive reaction to stimulii, anxiety, panic attacks, difficulty making decisions and poor self esteem. If you recognise and or are concerned about any of the listed areas then it is worth discussing them with a trained Neuro Developmental Therapist.
Primitive reflexes when examined help us to determine the maturity of the central nervous system. Primitive reflexes should not be present in a child after 6 months of age and postural reflexes should be fully developed in a child by 3 years of age. If the primitive reflexes are present and the postural reflexes underdeveloped it is a sign of Neuro Developmental Delay. BRAIN TREE LEARNING SOLUTIONS uses the primitive and postural reflex profile as an important tool for understanding the maturity of the child’s central nervous system to be able to implement an effective intervention program.
WHAT WE SEE IN THE CLASS ROOM AND THE POSSIBLE UNDERLYING PHYSICAL PROBLEM
| Observation | Possible Underlying Physical Problems |
| Sloppy hand writing | Vestibluar Dysfunction and swapping of leading eye. Retained primitive reflexes and imature postual reflexes |
| Short attention span | Moro reflex retained |
| Hand writing slopes from one side to other |
Changing of eye dominance |
| Poor Muscle Tone | TLR Reflex, STNR Reflex and Head Righting Reflexes |
| Writing Difficulties or writing rapidly deteriorates |
ATNR Reflex, STNR Reflex |
| Extremely slow copying from Blackboard |
Poor re-establishment of binocular vision TLR reflex and lack of HRR reflexes. |
| Immature Pen grip | ATNR and o |
| Slumping head while writing | STNR Reflex , TLR Reflex, Head Righting Reflexes |
