Bit of Wisdom 4

Reflex Reflections: Basic Information about Spinal Galant Reflex 2/3

Preface about Primitive ReflexesNature provides each person with a set of involuntary patterns that start before birth and aid development. The Infant Reflex Patterns are automatic motor responses to sensory triggers. Changes in the sensory environment activate an involuntary patterned motor response. These early motor responses start working in utero as the sensory-motor systems of the fetus develop.

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.

Spinal Galant (2 of 3)

In the last entry, the history, description, development, and persistence of the Moro Reflex were described.

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS OF SPINAL GALANT RELFLEX

An inhibited Spinal Galant Reflex acts as a spinal buffer of tactile information throughout the body. This buffer allows for tactile information throughout the body to be habituated. A mature nervous system needs to be able to adapt to regular touch. It is not advantageous for our brain to be made aware of all things that touch us, like clothing, furniture, hats, glasses, etc. Awareness of touch for all things in the regular environment interferes with attention to important information.

 An inhibited Spinal Galant Reflex guarantees that tactility must reach a certain threshold to gain attention. If the Spinal Galant Reflex is persistent, the buffer of tactile information is not available, making more tactile information getting into the brain. Often persistence results in a person who is not able to habituate or get used to things touching him or her. 

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH SPINAL GALANT REFLEX PERSISTENCE

Spinal Galant Reflex that has been hyperactively retained has been associated with tactile sensitivity, impulsiveness, bedwetting, and lack of differentiation. Extreme ticklishness is associated with retention; however normal ticklishness is not. 

Hyperactive Response Because of the activating nature of the Spinal Galant Reflex, hyperactive responses activate the autonomic nervous system and the adrenal functioning.  This can manifest into a system that has trouble enervating through the parasympathetic response.  In other words, self-calming and differentiation of response is more difficult.  Sitting still and static postures are more difficult to sustain.  Wetting (enuresis) is also associated with retention of this reflex. 

Hypoactivity in this response can appear as a lack of tone in trunk and hip area. A person with hypoactive Spinal Galant Reflex appears as ‘unfeeling’, because our sense of touch is one system that helps us to understand how others are feeling.

Hypoactive Response In the hypo-active side, lymph and liquid pooling is more common.  Usually the Perez Reflex is also hypo-active and can affect the cerebral spinal fluid pump at the base of the spine.  The lower back muscles can be low in tone.  Usually the other core reflex patterns are hypo-active as well.

RELATED REFLEX PATTERNS

Other reflexes can keep the Spinal Galant Reflex from inhibition and integration such as Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) and Perez Reflex.

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.

Basics of Spinal Galant Reflex 1 of 3

Reflex Reflections: Basic Information about Spinal Galant

Preface about Primitive Reflexes

Nature provides each person with a set of involuntary patterns that start before birth and aid development. The Infant Reflex Patterns are automatic motor responses to sensory triggers. Changes in the sensory environment activate an involuntary patterned motor response. These early motor responses start working in utero as the sensory-motor systems of the fetus develop.

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.

Spinal Galant Reflex (1 of 3)

HISTORY

The Spinal Galant Reflex was discovered and described by Johann Sussmann Galant, a Russian doctor who studied medicine in Basel Switzerland in 1917.

The Spinal Galant Reflex activates through a touch along the spine or side of an infant.  The infant responds by flexing the deep abdominal muscles away from the stimuli. This reflex appears 4 to 5 months in utero and is integrated between 3 to 12 months. After the first year, the activity of the Spinal Galant Reflex is usually considered abnormal.

DEVELOPMENT

In typical development, Spinal Galant is activated during birth, to aid the infant movement down the birth canal. It also may help to keep infants away from threatening environmental objects. Birth stresses, such as long births or C-sections, can increase chances of hyper or hypo activity of the Spinal Galant reflex pattern. 

 As the side of the infant touches each side of the birth canal, the Spinal Galant Reflex creates a ‘wiggle worm’ effect in the back.

SENSORY TRIGGERS FOR SPINAL GALANT REFLEX

Tactility along the spine and sides of the body is the trigger. If the reflex is persistent, the sense of touch can be highly elevated or if hypoactive, the sense of touch can be low.

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For more information about the Spinal Galant 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.

Reflex Basics: Moro Reflex 3

Nature provides each person with a set of involuntary patterns that start before birth and aid development. The Infant Reflex Patterns are automatic motor responses to sensory triggers. Changes in the sensory environment activate an involuntary patterned motor response. These early motor responses start working in utero as the sensory-motor systems of the fetus develop.

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 (3 of 3)

In this entry, checks for persistent and hypoactive Moro Reflex will be discussed.

CHECKING MORO REFLEX

OBSERVATION

If you are seeing a hyperactive Moro Reflex, you may see the following:

•            Startles at touch, sudden movement, sound, light, or something coming into the visual field suddenly, or even expectation from others

•            Has trouble calming self 

•            Is clingy

•            Tends to lash out when stressed

•            Panics easily

•            Has discomfort or issues in stomach and intestines

•            Has racing thoughts, impulsivity, and speedy tendencies

POSTURAL OBSERVATIONS

•            The body’s gravity line may be pulled backward. This may look like leaning backward or there may be a counteraction with the shoulders pulled forward

•            May cross arms

•            May be jumping and impulsive in movement
                                                        

Hypoactive Moro Reflex

OBSERVATION

If you are seeing a hypoactive Moro Reflex, you may see the following:

•            Tends to withdraw into oneself

•            May withdrawal in protection

•            May appear depressed 

•            May demonstrate slow reaction time to sensory stimuli

•            Seems to lack energy

•            Slowed thinking, decisions difficult

•            Constipation 

POSTURAL OBSERVATIONS

•            May appear either as pulling into the core with shoulder and hips or may appear extended from the core as a counterbalance

•            Core may appear lifeless

•            Lymph may be pooling in the in the face, arms, hands, legs, or feet

A Story of Moro Reflex and Healing

Jean had a traumatic, forceps birth. She had a low APGAR score at birth. Throughout life, Jean was anxious. Sudden touch, sound, and light changes would trigger a very strong startle reaction that would take up to a half hour to calm. She had stomach aches all the time and wondered if she had Irritable Bowel Syndrome. She never felt peaceful.

She got through school and work by hurling herself into the tasks at hand. The faster she moved, the better. This strategy worked well until Jean reached middle age. After a highly stressful time, Jean began to have panic attacks. Then the panic attacks trigger agoraphobia or fear of going out into public.

Jean found that a program with Plan for Learning & Living began her healing. Her hyperactive Moro reflex had increased her startle reaction. The active Moro and startle had interacted with the Vagus nerve to affect digestion. Her nervous system was being jumpy.

She realized that revving her system was the only way to know that she could finish a project. However, this constant revving and startling demands high levels of neural action. Finally, the system blows up. The high startle triggers a revving into panic. Any small fear, sensory change or motor challenge can trigger a panic attack. Just the thought of feeling panic in public can trigger panic.

By understanding the physical reasons for her feelings and finding ways to calm and train reactions, Jean was able to overcome panic, revving and startling. Inhibiting and integrating the Moro Reflex was a part of her program. Jean felt peaceful for the first time in her life. 

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.

Bit of Wisdom 3