Primitive reflexes are foundational, yet involuntary movement patterns present at birth and that become integrated or “dormant” before a child reaches 12 months of age. Most reflexes become integrated so more mature and voluntary movements can emerge.

When reflexes do not become integrated, they interfere with a child’s ability to develop an appropriate foundation for stability and mobility. A child without integrated primitive reflexes learns faulty and maladaptive movement patterns.

You must address retained reflexes in your client to make a lasting change and bridge the gap in their development. You, the trained therapist, can observe these faulty responses by how a child reacts, behaves, and moves and address this interference in reflex integration to help the child recreate activities a typically developing child would have performed to integrate reflexes.