Reflex Reflections: Basic Information about Reflexes

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.

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

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

CHECKING SPINAL GALANT REFLEX

OBSERVATION

In hyperactive Spinal Galant Reflex, you may see the following

·       May not be able to sit still in a chair

·        May often appear antsy

·       May have tactile issues, such as being bothered by waistbands or food textures or may not like to touch paper or wool.

·       Enuresis (bed wetting) is also possible. Rapid onset of needing to urinate is common

·       Spinal and back issues such as scoliosis are possible. 

·       Shoulders and/or hips may be very sensitive and protected.

In Hypoactive Spinal Galant, you may see the following:

·       Inflexible trunk

·       May be hold pelvis heavily with less movement.

·       Bodily liquids and lymph may collect, especially at lower joints

CHECKS FOR SPINAL GALANT REFLEX

This reflex can be checked with person on the side, stomach, or hands and knees. Checking on each sides of the body appears to yield the most refined results. 

·       Client is on side with a pillow under head if necessary. 

·       With the thumb, index finger, or pen top, start at the side of the spine at the base of the neck.

·       Staying close to the spine and at a medium speed, draw the finger or pen top down the back to the base of the spine. This may be repeated on the side as well.

·       The check can be repeated 1 to 3 repetitions. It may lessen with consecutive checks in a short period of time. Also, a client may try to control the reaction by stiffening the back muscles.

Observation: 

·       Watch the hips and shoulders.

·       At 100% retention, a strong contraction will pull the shoulder and hip towards each other.

·       Lesser levels of retention will look like a twitch in the hip or perhaps the shoulder. 

Rarely, one side will be retained and the other not. This is usually because of persistent ATNR on one side.

A Story of Spinal Galant Reflex and Healing

Nan was a nervous young woman. She had severe scoliosis. She was very defensive and protective or herself. She wore a padded vest over a long jumper. 

I spent extra time talking about the nature of reflexes and how they are not conscious and that a person is not responsible for feelings that arise from sensory overload. I spent this time because this was a person unaware that much of her anxiety and tension was because of persistent primitive reflexes. She might have taken statements as a critique of her character instead of statements of physiological fact about her nervous system.

Her check was done on the hands and knees and was extremely high in persistence. The tactile experience of the check itself was overwhelming to her. I let her rest and drink some water before continuing.

In the end, after three sessions for tone patterning and other activities, her entire demeanor changed. She was calmer and much less defensive. She could wear clothing that was lighter and could expose more skin in hot weather. Best of all, the scoliosis she had suffered since a child had begun to reverse.

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 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.

Reflex Reflections: Basic Information about Reflexes- Moro

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.

Moro Reflex (2 of 3)

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

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS OF MORO RELFLEX

The Moro Reflex is one of the first reflexes to develop before birth. Moro appears to be important in the development of all work of the core muscles, such as, gravity awareness of the core, diaphragm activation for breathing and protection from falls or attacks, as well as, regulating strong emotions. 

Some experts believe that the typical Moro Reflex develops out of the typical Fear-Paralysis Response. Typical development of Moro ensures a mature Startle Reflex that is easy to re-regulate.

Fear-Paralysis changes eye development

Abnormal Fear-Paralysis can evolve into a hyperactive Moro Reflex. A hyperactive Moro Reflex can lead to a hyper-vigilant adult Startle Reflex that is not easily re-regulated. However, one does not need an abnormal Fear-Paralysis Response to have a persistent Moro Reflex.

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH MORO REFLEX PERSISTENCE

A hyperactive Moro Reflex can develop into a startle pattern that resists regulation. When that happens, the Autonomic Nervous System can be overwhelmed. The adrenal system can be stressed leading to adrenal fatigue, anxiety and panic attacks later in life.

Moro Reflex connects with
emotional responses

Manic behavior also appears to be linked to an overreactive Startle Reflex. Moro Reflex retention has been correlated with Schizophrenia, ADHD, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in clinical studies. This is NOT to say Moro Reflex causes these issues, but it is a pattern of response in systems with trauma, regulation and neuro-developmental issues.

A hypoactive Moro Reflex can lead to low reactivity, depression, and detachment. I have commonly seen issues with low lymph flow, physical activity levels, and emotional attachment issues related to a hypoactive Moro Reflex.

RELATED REFLEX PATTERNS

A retained, hyperactive Moro Reflex can affect the inhibition and integration of other reflex patterns, especially the Spinal Galant Reflex, Grasp Reflex, and Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR).

Other reflexes can keep the Moro Reflex from inhibition and integration, such as, Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex and Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex, in particular.


Next week, learn about observation and checks for Moro R

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.

Checking Moro in Baby

The Moro Reflex develops before birth, but is transformed at birth. Gravitational and body space changes trigger the opening and closing of the core and limbs.

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Bit of Wisdom

Reflex Reflections: Basic Information about Reflexes

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.

Moro Reflex (1 of 3)

HISTORY 

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.