Recognizing Retained Reflexes in Children: Our Journey

How I started researching retained reflexes: When my oldest son was around 5 or 6 years old, I noticed he struggled with things other kids seemed to manage easily. He ran into things without seeming to notice, loved laying on hard floors, and was obsessed with super rough play. Other challenges included:

• Poor hand-eye coordination.
• Difficulty learning to ride a bike.
• Car sickness.
• Toe walking.
• Bedwetting.

I started researching and came across the concept of retained primitive reflexes..

What Are Retained Primitive Reflexes?

Primitive reflexes are automatic movements babies are born with, designed to help them survive and adapt to their environment. For example, the Moro reflex, one of the most well-known, is the “startle reflex” you might notice in newborns.

The Moro reflex kicks in when a baby feels a sudden change, like a loud noise or the sensation of falling. The baby flings their arms and legs out, then brings them back in—a survival mechanism meant to signal their caregiver or help them cling to safety.

Typically, as the nervous system matures, reflexes like the Moro fade away by about 6 months of age. But for some children, these reflexes don’t naturally integrate into their development and remain active, or “retained.”

Why Does Retained Reflex Integration Matter?

When primitive reflexes are retained, they can interfere with a child’s ability to develop higher-level motor skills and behaviors. This can lead to challenges like:

• Sensory issues (seeking intense input or being overly sensitive).
• Poor coordination.
• Difficulty with focus, learning, or emotional regulation.
• Physical symptoms like car sickness, bedwetting, or toe walking.
• Speech and language delay
• Handwriting issues

What’s in This Post?

In my journey to help my son, I learned about 8 key reflexes that can impact children if retained. In this post, I’ll explain:

1. What each reflex is.
2. Signs of retention (what it looks like when a reflex hasn’t integrated).
3. Simple exercises to help integrate these reflexes.

A Note from Me

I’m not a physical therapist, occupational therapist or a specialist, just a mom who dove deep into this topic to help my child. My hope is that this information will point you in the right direction and empower you to get the help your child needs.

Let’s explore these reflexes together—you’re not alone in this journey!

Tip: Create a YouTube playlist for yourself with video of exercises you want to do with your child.

Understanding Retained Reflexes: Signs, Tests, and Exercises

Retained primitive reflexes can affect your child’s development, coordination, and learning abilities. Below is a breakdown of key reflexes, what retention might look like, how to test for it, and simple exercises to help integrate these reflexes at home.

1. Moro Reflex (Startle Reflex)

Purpose: Alerts the caregiver to potential danger by causing a baby to startle and extend their limbs.
Should Integrate By: 6 months

Signs of Retention:

• ADD/ADHD-like behavior
• Anxiety
• Difficulty with relationships
• Prone to allergies or inflammation

How to Test:

• Have your child walk pigeon-toed. If their hands turn outward, the reflex may be retained.
• Repeat with toes turned outward. If their hands turn inward, the reflex is likely retained.
• Lay your child on a yoga ball or over the arm of a couch. If this is difficult for them, the reflex may still be active.

How to Integrate:

• Walk pigeon-toed, intentionally turning hands inward. Alternate with toes turned outward and hands outward.
• Make it fun by involving siblings or turning it into a game.
• Here’s another exercise to try

2. Rooting Reflex

Purpose: Helps babies locate food by turning their head toward stimulation on their cheek.
Should Integrate By: 3–4 months

Signs of Retention:

• Sensitivity to food textures or tastes
• Speech issues
• Sticking out tongue when concentrating
• Difficulty with manual dexterity

How to Test:

• Gently run your finger or a pen from the nose or ear toward the mouth along the cheek. The mouth or tongue should not twitch.

How to Integrate:

• Repeat the test frequently to desensitize.
• Have your child “draw” pretend cat whiskers on their face, starting from the ear and moving toward the mouth at different angles.

3. Palmar Grasp Reflex

Purpose: Causes a baby’s fingers to curl around an object placed in their palm.
Should Integrate By: 2–6 months

Signs of Retention:

• Poor handwriting
• Weak hand strength
• Difficulty learning fine motor skills

How to Test:

• Run a finger across your child’s palm. Their hand should not twitch or close.
• Ask them to touch each finger to their thumb, forward and backward. Struggling or moving their mouth while doing this may indicate retention.

How to Integrate:

• Practice finger-touching exercises daily.
• Brush the hands gently to desensitize.

4. Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)

Purpose: Helps infants with balance and coordination. When a baby turns their head, the arm and leg on that side extend while the opposite side flexes.
Should Integrate By: 6 months

Signs of Retention:

• Difficulty learning, handwriting, or reaching
• Trouble crawling or coordinating movements
• Digestive issues

How to Test:

• Place your child on hands and knees. Ask them to turn their head to one side. If their opposite shoulder or elbow dips, the reflex may be retained.

How to Integrate:

• Practice cross-body movements like the lizard walk, starfish, snow angel, or mountain climber. Look up tutorials on YouTube for guidance.

5. Spinal Galant Reflex

Purpose: Helps infants move through the birth canal and supports early crawling and walking.
Should Integrate By: 9 months

Signs of Retention:

• Bedwetting
• Digestive issues
• Fidgeting or hypersensitivity to clothing

How to Test:

• Run an object along your child’s lower spine. If their hips twitch, the reflex may be retained.

How to Integrate:

• Exercises like bear walking, snow angels, and the tush push can help.

6. Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)

Purpose: Supports balance, posture, and muscle development.
Should Integrate By: 24 months

Signs of Retention:

• Poor balance and posture
• Weak core muscles
• Difficulty with sports and spatial awareness

How to Test:

• Have your child perform the Superman pose: lie on their stomach, arms extended in front, and legs slightly lifted off the ground. If they struggle to hold the position, the reflex may be retained.

How to Integrate:

• Practice the Superman pose and other activities like the tush push or reach to the moon (search online for tutorials).

7. Landau Reflex

Purpose: Coordinates the upper and lower body.
Should Integrate By: 12–24 months

Signs of Retention:

• Toe walking
• Poor concentration
• Low muscle tone or posture issues

How to Test:

• Perform a half-Superman: the child should lift their upper body while keeping their feet on the ground. If they lift their feet, the reflex may be retained.

How to Integrate:

• Practice the half-Superman, assisting if necessary to reinforce proper muscle memory.

8. Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

Purpose: Prepares the infant for crawling.
Should Integrate By: 9–11 months

Signs of Retention:

• Poor muscle tone
• Vision depth issues
• Poor hand-eye coordination

How to Test:

• Have your child get on hands and knees. If their weight shifts backward when they look up or forward when they look down, the reflex may be retained.

How to Integrate:

• Exercises like army crawling, yoga cat/cow, and wheelbarrow walking are beneficial.

Final Thoughts

Helping your child integrate retained reflexes can improve their coordination, focus, and overall development. While this guide outlines simple at-home strategies, you can also explore professional therapies or additional exercises on platforms like YouTube, this is a great you tube resource, Harkla.

Remember, every child is unique, so adapt these methods to fit your family’s needs—and most importantly, make the process fun and engaging!