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.