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.