In this episode of the Reflex Integration Through Play podcast, Kokeb talk about how retained primitive reflexes can quietly disrupt a child’s visual development, and how that can show up as behavior issues, learning challenges, or postural concerns in the classroom.
Why Vision Isn’t Just About 20/20
We’re taught to think that if a child passes a basic vision screening, they’re fine. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Visual skill is so much more than seeing clearly. It’s about how the eyes work together (eye teaming), how smoothly they move across a page (tracking), and how the brain makes sense of what’s being seen (processing).
When reflexes such as the ATNR, STNR, TLR, and Landau reflex do not fully integrate during development, they can interfere with visual skill development, impact learning and academics, contribute to reading difficulties, cause fatigue, and even lead to an ADHD mislabel.
What to Look For
Some signs that a child may have visual skill challenges linked to retained reflexes include:
- Poor or inconsistent eye contact
- Poor eye tracking (difficulty following objects or words smoothly)
- Messy handwriting or frequent letter/number reversals
- Visual fatigue after short periods of reading or desk work
- Difficulty crossing the midline or smoothly tracking from left to right
- Attention or behavior concerns that may be misinterpreted as ADHD
These challenges can impact a child’s confidence, focus, and ability to keep up in school, but when addressed through targeted reflex integration and visual skill activities, many of these difficulties can be significantly reduced.
Key Moments From the Episode
Here’s a quick breakdown if you want to jump around:
[02:30] Why vision therapists often start with reflex work before visual skills
[03:30] A simple breakdown of what primitive reflexes are
[06:30] How reflexes like ATNR and STNR shape vision and movement
[08:00] The role of tummy time in early vision development
[10:00] Real-life case: a child struggling with group tasks due to missed vision issues
[12:30] What a vision screen revealed: trouble with eye teaming and midline crossing
[14:00] Classroom clues: using the whole body to look around, avoiding eye contact
[15:30] Red flags like reversed letters, sloppy writing, and tired eyes
[17:00] Why we need to look at vision, balance, and reflexes together
[18:00] A reminder to collaborate with other professionals like vision therapists
So… What Can You Do?
If you’re a therapist, parent, or educator and this is striking a chord, you’re not alone.
The good news is, once you know what to look for, there’s so much you can do. And it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Inside the Visual Skills & Primitive Reflex Development Course, we walk you through how to screen for visual inefficiencies, understand the role of reflexes, and support children using play-based strategies that actually work.
You can also dive deeper into our full RITP Certification Program if you’re ready to take your skills to the next level.
Want to Learn More?
Here are some great reads if you want to explore the research and real-world overlap between vision and learning:
- Vision Therapy for ADD/ADHD
- Why Back-to-School Eye Exams Matter
- Understanding Vision Problems vs Attention Challenges
It’s easy to miss the signs.
But when we pause and look deeper — at vision, at reflexes, at the whole child — we start to understand what they’ve been trying to show us all along.
This episode is for the parents searching for answers, the therapists ready to dig deeper, and the educators who want to support their students with clarity and confidence.
