The process by which primitive reflexes are integrated into more complex motor skills.
It allows for the development of voluntary movements and coordination.
Automatic responses that are present at birth and typically integrate during early childhood.
It may lead to difficulties in motor skills, learning, and emotional regulation.
Through specific tests that evaluate the presence of primitive reflexes.
Visual stimulus.
Swipe a finger over the palm of the hand and observe if fingers flex to grasp.
By 2-3 years.
It is used in preparation for functional movements.
The toes extend and spread, and the foot rotates medially.
At 12 weeks in utero.
Head and chest off the floor with legs flexed at the knees, while the therapist provides resistance.
It indicates normal neurological development.
It typically disappears as the child grows older.
Around 13 weeks in utero.
To help lift the head and chest off the floor.
To encourage them to grab it with upper and lower extremities.
Using hands and feet to rock back and forth while keeping the body on the floor.
Between 3-4 months.
By 6 months.
Posture, bilateral integration, motor planning, and sensory maturation.
At 10 weeks in utero.
Moving the upper and lower body at the same pace.
Refusal to move the head back in space.
6-9 months.
Supine in starfish position.
A reflex action in which the big toe extends upward when the sole of the foot is stimulated.
Prepares for standing, supports crawling, and helps develop the nervous system.
Reflexive movements that aid in the development of postural movements.
An adult startle response.
By turning the head and looking for arm bending.
To assess reflexes in adolescents.
A primitive reflex that involves the response of the body to touch along the spine.
By providing resistance.
By 3-4 months when the startle response matures.
Dropping of the head and loud noise or tapping the body.
The fingers flex closed.
Tactile processing.
Linear swinging on a scooter board.
By extending arms to 90˚, turning the head, and observing arm movements.
Muscle tone is involved as the child lifts their head and chest off the floor.
Going into 'survival mode'.
Extension of arms.
The infant often freezes in flexion.
28 weeks gestation.
A reflex where an infant automatically grasps objects placed in their palm.
Pinch activities.
Weight-bearing activities.
12 weeks in utero.
Birthing, breathing, hearing, crawling, bilateral coordination, visual-motor skills, ocular motor, and hand dominance.
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex.
Integration helps in the development of motor skills and sensory processing.
9-11 months, when crawling begins.
Moving from flexion to extension while crossing arms and legs at midline.
Additional movements at the hips and arms.
By supporting the foot at the ankle and applying pressure from the heel to the ball of the foot.
Place a hand on their forehead and ask them to push into it.
Reflexive movement patterns we are born with to aid in safety and survival.
A reflex involving the movement of the head into flexion and extension with upper and lower extremities following in the same pattern.
The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR).
Proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual systems.
The trunk will flex on the side of the touch, possibly accompanied by hip flexion and leg abduction.
Processing auditory input and movements during birth.
They move to a more cognitive/controlled movement pattern.
The arms straighten and the legs bend.
A startle response that occurs in infants, often integrating between 3-4 months.
It may lead to issues with attention, coordination, and emotional regulation.
Through specific tests that observe the response to spinal stimulation.
A course related to sensory integration.
By 3-6 months.
Feeding becomes more automatic and less reflexive.
In combination with sensory development, reflexes lead to higher-level skills.
The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, which involves visual tracking and movement.
At 5-6 months.
A method involving a butt scoot with arms and back straight, shifting weight to one side to scoot forward.
No, it is NOT a primitive reflex.
They may not integrate or return to help sustain life.
At 9 weeks in utero.
It assists with feeding.
The mouth turns to a stimulus applied to areas of the mouth.
Crawling, bilateral coordination, ocular motor skills, sitting still/postural stability, and midline awareness.
Building Blocks for Sensory Integration.
Sensational Brain.
In adults, the presence of the reflex may indicate neurological issues.
Eating and handwriting.
Kicking a ball.
To encourage visual tracking and neck extension.
To have children standing back to back transfer items from side to side.
Left arm and leg flex to push forward, then right arm and leg flex to push forward.
The arms bend and the legs straighten.
Rhythmic Movement Training.
By 2-3 years.
Releasing the ball unexpectedly.
Prone over the large yoga ball.
A reflex where turning the head in one direction causes the opposite arm and leg to bend.
Crumpling paper in hand.
Prone position.
Ocular motor control, visual-motor integration (VMI), visual-spatial skills, language, and attention.
By 4 months.
A reflex where fingers flex to grasp an object.
It plays a role in postural control and can affect attention and impulsivity.
Congenital disorders, trauma, stress, and injury.
When the head is dropped back, the arms and legs open into extension and then return to flexion.
It influences head and body positioning during movement.
Proprioceptive, vestibular, auditory, and tactile.
By laying the child on the floor and making a loud noise by their head, or by tipping them backward slowly and then doing a quick drop.
It can affect anxiety, auditory defensiveness, and vestibular defensiveness.
3-6 months.
When a child lifts the upper body, head, and lower body off the floor while in a prone position.
The 'Doggy' activity where the child grabs a 'bone' with their mouth.
Activities of daily living (ADLs), cognition, and emotional regulation.
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex.
Fingers flex to the palm.
At birth.
No reaction during the test.
To facilitate proper motor development and coordination.
They impact each other.
It can lead to difficulties in coordination and balance.
It is a foundational position for developing strength and coordination.
To facilitate TLR integration.
Place a hand over their head and ask them to push into it.
Maryann Trott and Kathleen Taylor.
Standing and reaching above head.
Cat/Cow/Table activities.
It aids in neck stability and movement coordination.
Hold thumb up in front of self and track it as you move it across midline.
Remain relaxed and straight.
It helps with holding the fetal position and assists in extension for coming down the birth canal.
Fingers remain extended.
Stroke from the armpit to the pelvis.
The child lies on their side while the therapist moves their trunk through flexion and extension, providing proprioception.
A game where the therapist and child are in quadruped position, pushing into each other to knock the other down.
Slight flexion of fingers and palms being protected.
Crawling or using a scooter board with visual tracking.
Lay prone, turn head to right, flex right leg and arm, pause, then turn head to left and extend limbs, pausing at intervals.
Between 5 to 9 months.
Bending the neck forward and backward while holding each position with eyes closed for 10 seconds.
Clothing sensitivities and auditory processing.
Look right and grasp an item with the right extended arm, flex the right elbow to midline, then flex the left elbow to grab the item out of the right hand.
Poor balance, swaying, dizziness, and excessive tension.
It can impact the development of potty training skills.
higher
refusal
5, 6
Palmer Grasp
sensory
tapping
28
9
3, 6
the floor
resistance
quadruped
auditory
prone
pelvis
Table
mouth
6-9, 9-11
linear swinging
postural
same
birth, 5-9
hands, knees
focus
reflex
3, 4
motor
3, 6
standing, crawling
flexion
ball
infants
fetal
3, 4
lateral
touch
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex
R, R
pinch
functional
head
extended
fan out
Butt Scoot
prone
floor
damage
Maryann Trott, Kathleen Taylor
postural
prone
extension
postural
birthing
relaxed, straight
cognitive/controlled
tactile
flexion, extension
kicking
standing
release
spinal
hip, abduction
vestibular
motor
bowl
infant
12
congenital disorders
2, 3
10
Sensational
4
resistance
side, side
2
not provided
safety, survival
visual
12
2, 3
integrate
straighten, bend
incomplete integration
partial integration
visual
neck
hips, arms
dizziness
sensory
arm
fear
startle
feeding
sensory
supine
fine
3, 6
flex
appropriate response
flex
flexion
R
head
no
newborn
6
attention
weight-bearing
extend, spread
flex
vestibular
bend, straighten
supine
bilateral
upper extremities, lower extremities
UE, LE
midline
13
L, L
bone
ATNR
