You may have heard the term primitive reflexes and wondered what it actually means.
If your child is struggling with classroom learning, focus, or coordination, this can be an important piece of the puzzle.
What Are Primitive Reflexes?
Primitive reflexes are natural, automatic movements that develop before your baby is born.
They play an important role in early development and are usually inhibited (or “switched off”) during the first year of life through early floor movements, tummy time, and play.
When these reflexes are retained, they can make later learning much more challenging.
Why Do They Matter?
Learning isn’t just about thinking – it includes movement, behaviour and emotional development as well.
It doesn’t just happen in our brains, but also involves the whole body.
Children need to be able to:
- sit comfortably in a chair
- focus their eyes on a visual target
- listen to and process information
- coordinate their body’s movements
- maintain muscle tone
……all at the same time!
If retained reflexes have interrupted your child’s early development, these skills can feel much harder to coordinate.
What You Might Notice
When children are struggling in the classroom, the clue is often in their body. A trained practitioner can notice these clues, and understand their deeper meaning.
From there, a developmental movement program can often help.
Behaviours that often looks like ADHD can also be indications of retained primitive reflexes.
You might see:
- difficulty sitting still
- poor coordination
- trouble concentrating
- difficulties with listening
- challenges with reading or writing
- emotional outbursts
- startles easily, impulsive
- poor balance and muscle tone
These are not signs of laziness —they are often signs that your child would benefit from some support.
A Gentle Next Step
If you recognise any of these behaviours in your child, or yourself, it can help to look a little deeper at aspects of early development.
When the foundations for learning are a bit “wobbly”, learning becomes more difficult, and it can be hard for your child to keep up in class.
Their struggle becomes compounded when they are old enough to notice their classmates achieving in areas where they are struggling, and it doesn’t take long before self esteem and confidence are impacted.
Fortunately, when we understand the underlying issues, we can help your child to re-build these foundations.
For over 20 years I have been offering a developmental program to children who struggle in school, and have seen many positive results.
These days, I prefer to offer support to parents, helping you to help your child.
Is this sounds like what you are looking for, I would love to help.
You might also find helpful:
Why is My Child Struggling at School? Understanding Early Development and Primitive Reflexes
