Preface about Primitive Reflexes
As each motor response
is activated and sustained, the Upper Brain learns to direct the muscles
involved and takes over voluntary control of the muscles that are used in the
infant reflex patterns. The Upper Brain takes over, inhibits, and integrates
the infant reflexes. Most early infant reflexes are typically inhibited by six
months of age. Integration comes with voluntary use of the reflex patterns.
Inhibition and integration of primitive reflexes does not mean that the
reflexes are gone; these patterns remain stored in the brainstem and midbrain,
coming forward as needed to protect and restore development during trauma.
Moro Reflex (1 of 3)
The Moro Reflex is named for Ernst Moro, an Austrian
pediatrician, who identified it and described it around 1912. The Moro Reflex
is often identified with the Startle Reflex. The adult startle response may be
the final developmental version of the infant Moro Reflex.
Startling is a normal
reaction to sudden sensory stimuli with a quick re-regulation. Bodily startle
with slow re-regulation is one of the symptoms of a persistent Moro
Reflex. A person with persistent Moro
Reflex often startles easily and does not calm quickly.
All reflexes are developmental movement arcs. The Moro
Reflex is itself thought to be preceded by the earlier development of the
Fear/Paralysis Response. Later the Moro Reflex bridges to later reflexes such
as Bonding and Landau Reflex.
DEVELOPMENT
The Moro Reflex is well documented to start in utero between
8 to 11 weeks as the embryo enters fetal development. It is usually inhibited
by 3 to 4 months after birth. Appearance after 6 months is considered
abnormal.
SENSORY TRIGGERS FOR
MORO REFLEX
The Moro Reflex, at the start, is a reaction to sudden gravitational
or positional change. Babies exhibit Moro first from being suddenly lifted or
laid down. The trigger extends the muscles of the core and neck. The arms and
legs extend with the digits extended. Next the muscles contract so that the
neck and core muscles contract toward the navel. The arms and legs pull in and
the digits grasp.
The lifelong Startle Reflex sometimes begins to develop and
is strong enough to trigger the Moro. The jerk of startle activates the Moro as
a change in gravity. This is one of the reasons that certain babies need more
swaddling, rocking, etc. to be calmed. The
Startle Reflex can be activated by sudden changes in movement, sound, the
visual field, light intensity, and touch. If Moro is persistent in later years,
these same sensory triggers can become triggers for a persistent Moro Reflex.
If not re-regulated, the Moro reflexive pattern causes a
cascade of feedback reactions. For example, a loud sound causes a Moro
reaction, causing the person to touch the sheet suddenly, reactivating the
Moro. This chain reaction can make re-regulation very difficult and energy
sapping.
Conversely, a Moro Reflex that is hypoactive may be
considered a ‘good’ baby who sleeps all the time. This can be a sign that the
neuro-system is not reactive enough and may not interact with the environment
enough for typical development to occur. There is some evidence that those
lacking basic reactivity may become adults who need risky behavior to feel
strong emotions. Another profile for a hypoactive Moro development, may be a
person with very low emotional responsiveness.
For more information
about the Moro or other reflexes, contact Janet Oliver for an online mentoring
session. These sessions can be lengths of 15 minutes up to 2 hours. Check at www.planforlearning.com
for description, costs and contact information.
The next Moro Reflex entry will be about later developmental
associations, issues of Moro Reflex Persistence, and related reflex patterns.
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