If your child is experiencing challenges with learning, coordination, behaviour, or emotional regulation, a primitive reflex assessment can provide valuable insight into how their nervous system is functioning.
Primitive reflexes are early movement responses that appear during infancy. These reflexes help babies develop foundational motor skills and build important brain connections.
Typically, these reflexes integrate during the first year of life as the brain matures. When this process is incomplete, certain reflexes may remain active and influence how a child moves, learns, and responds to their environment.
What Happens During a Primitive Reflex Assessment?
During an assessment, several reflex patterns are gently tested through simple movements and observations.
The process may include evaluating reflexes such as:
- FPR (Fear Paralysis Reflex)
- Moro reflex
- ATNR (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex)
- STNR (Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex)
- TLR (Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex)
- Spinal Galant reflex
- Rooting and Sucking Reflex
- Palmar-grasp reflex
- Babinski reflex
Each reflex influences specific areas of development including balance, posture, coordination, focus, and emotional regulation.
What the Assessment Can Reveal
A primitive reflex assessment can help identify factors that may be contributing to challenges such as:
- Difficulty focusing
- Learning struggles
- Coordination problems
- Sensory sensitivities
- Emotional regulation challenges
Understanding the underlying neurological patterns can help guide a targeted developmental movement program.
What Happens After the Assessment?
If retained reflexes are identified, a personalized program of reflex integration exercises may be recommended.
These exercises are designed to support the brain in completing early developmental stages and building stronger neurological connections.
Over time, many children experience improvements in:
- Focus and attention
- Coordination and balance
- Emotional regulation
- Academic skills
- Confidence
Why Early Identification Matters
When developmental gaps are addressed early, children often find that learning and everyday activities become much easier and less frustrating.
Supporting the nervous system can help children feel more confident and capable both at school and at home.
If you notice these signs, learn more about how primitive reflexes affect learning and behaviour
You may also want to read about what happens during a primitive reflex assessment in Calgary
neurokinetix.ca 