Primitive, primary, or archaic reflexes are a series of instinctive movements performed by all babies in response to different sensory stimuli. If these involuntary reflexes do not appear, then there may be some neurological and functional problem of the child
As soon as the babies are born, they are evaluated to find out what their responses are to these primary reflexes. With the age these childish reflexes disappear, although some are preserved into adulthood.
Definition of primary reflexes
Primitive reflexes, this set of automatic movements performed by babies before sensory stimuli, allow survival in the first weeks of life. They are involuntary and are directed from the brainstem without involving the cortex.
These reflections already appear during the gestation period and they are present at the moment of birth. They disappear in the first months of life, so that their functions are voluntarily controlled by the brain. That is, the baby's motor behavior is dominated by reflexes, while the maturation of the Central Nervous System (CNS) takes place.
These reflections appear, fulfill their function and disappear integrating in more complex movement patterns. This process occurs during the child's first three years of age. If primitive reflexes have not been integrated, there may be problems with the child's gross or fine motor skills, vision, hearing, word articulation, and language.
Some primary or archaic reflexes and their functions
Some of the primary reflexes are suction, suck when the nearby area of the mouth is stimulated; from shockIn other words, retracting the arms and legs if you hear a loud sound, or gait reflex, is that the baby pretends to walk if the soles of the feet touch a hard surface.
Another characteristic reflex is the prehensile, appears when putting a finger in the palm of the baby's open hand, if the adult's finger makes the pretense of withdrawing the baby, it increases its grip. Newborns have a lot of pressure force, you can lift it if the grip is by two hands.
We continue commenting on other primitive reflections, such as that of Moor. The absence of the moro reflex on both sides suggests brain or spinal cord damage. Tonic neck reflex, occurs when the child's head is rotated to one side, and at the same time extends the arm of the side to which he is looking, while flexing the arm on the opposite side and clenching his fist hard. Perioral reflex occurs when the cheek is touched or hit, and the baby turns his head to that side and begins to suck.
Symptoms of non-integration of primitive reflexes
Both the absence of primitive reflexes and the non-integration of these is sign of dysfunction or immaturity of the central nervous system. To correctly integrate or stimulate the integration of these primary reflexes, we can practice certain rhythmic repetitive games and movements, very similar to those that the baby does by itself.
The causes why some babies maintain primitive reflexes, after the first year of life, it can be due to complicated pregnancies, problems during delivery, a delay in the maturation of the nervous system or simply because the baby for whatever reason has not been moved enough.
Some of the symptom What can make us suspect that children, and even adults, maintain primitive reflexes is, for example, that they have lower or higher muscle tone than normal, have awkward balance and coordination, stumble a lot, or crash a lot .
Other symptoms that you can observe are that they are children who find it difficult to remain seated, they lie on the floor or the table, sit in a W or walk on tiptoe. Also has difficulties visual and spatial perception, concentration, laterality, or literacy problems.