Primitive Reflexes

What Are They?

Primitive reflexes are the special reflexes that develop in the brain stem before birth. This set of involuntary reflexes helps the baby with positioning in the womb, birthing, breathing, feeding, and urination. Most of these reflexes disappear during the first year of life as the higher functions of the brain and muscle control develop.

Primitive reflexes are the first part of the brain to develop and should remain active only for the first few months of life. They are integrated by the CNS at an early age, after which replacement reflexes, called postural reflexes, emerge. Postural reflexes are more mature patterns of response that control balance, coordination, and sensorimotor development. Once integrated, these reflexes are not generally recognizable in adults in their pure form.

What Happens When Primitive Reflexes Don’t Integrate?

When reflexes are not properly developed and integrated, they interfere with the neurological organization of the brain, causing learning, behavioral, social, sensory, and health problems such as:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• ADHD

• Autism

• Learning disorders

• Behavioral challenges

• Extreme shyness

• Lack of confidence

• Vision and hearing problems

• Feelings of overwhelm

• Addiction

Some of the Reflexes Are as Follows:

1. Palmar Grasp

This reflex is seen when an infant grasps a finger placed in its hand.

2. Fear Paralysis Reflex

This reflex is triggered by a sensory stimulus, such as a loud noise or an unexpected flash of light. It is similar to the “freeze response” seen in the fight, flight, or freeze reaction, where the infant withdraws its limbs inward.

3. Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)

This reflex supports the baby’s response to gravity and helps it straighten out from the fetal position.

4. Rooting and Sucking 

These reflexes help babies obtain the nourishment they need. The rooting reflex is exhibited when the baby turns its head toward anything that touches its cheek or the corner of its mouth, while the sucking reflex is observed when an object is placed in the baby’s mouth.

6. Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

This reflex acts as a prerequisite to crawling. It is observed when the infant’s head moves forward, causing the arms to straighten while the legs bend. This enables the baby to learn how to use the upper and lower parts of its body independently.

7. Moro Reflex

Also known as the startle reflex, it is typically triggered by a sudden change in the infant’s head position. This results in the baby extending its arms and fingers before flexing the limbs to form fists. The reflex is usually accompanied by an exhalation or a cry.

For example, a properly developed Moro reflex results in a baby’s ability to:

• Find its own body as a point of reference

• Self-organize

• Develop inner control and stress management

• Link the center of the body to the periphery, and vice versa

• Create balance and equilibrium, coordinate breathing reflexes, and regulate behavior and creativity

When the Moro reflex is not properly developed, it can result in:

• Vulnerability and emotional instability (fear and phobia)

• Poor balance and equilibrium

• Delays in motor development

• Fear of new information and life changes

• Improper protection and survival responses

• Negative influence on immunity (allergies, infections, etc.) and irrational behavioral patterns, such as excessive anxiety, paralysis of will, and timidity.

The proper development of primitive reflexes is vital for establishing a foundation of body awareness and higher motor, emotional, and cognitive skills. Although they may seem like small movements, these reflexes help develop the brain as an infant enters the world. These repetitive movements assist in the development of an infant’s balance, mobility, vision, hearing, speaking, learning, and communication.