Triveni Goswami Vernal
Registered Special Educator (CRR A64010)

Of late, there has been a plethora of information on Retained Reflexes in social media. Due to the algorithm or not, most videos pertaining to sensory needs and individuals on the Autism Spectrum on social media nowadays, have some reference to Retained Reflexes. But before we delve into Retained Reflexes, let us first get to know what Reflexes are.

WHAT IS A REFLEX?
A reflex is an involuntary and automatic response to stimuli. Reflexes occur quickly without requiring conscious control. Examples of reflexes include withdrawal reflex (such as moving one’s hand away from hot objects), knee jerk reaction, blinking, sneezing etc.
Reflexes can evolve with age—Primary or primitive reflexes like the Moro Reflex can disappear as the child grows older. The knee jerk reaction can change in its speed or strength as an individual ages. Reflexes are controlled by the Central Nervous System especially the spinal cord.

TYPES OF REFLEXES
1) PRIMITIVE REFLEXES: They are involuntary motor responses, found in newborn babies, that play a crucial role in the child’s survival and development. The reflexes usually get integrated by 4-6 months of age. The different types of Primitive Reflexes are:
Moro Reflex: Also called a Startle Reflex. It is usually triggered by a loud noise, or change in position. It is an involuntary response found in newborns.
Rooting Reflex: An involuntary response found in babies where they turn their head or open their mouth when their cheek or mouth is touched.
Palmar Grasp Reflex: A reflex where the infant’s fingers curl around an object when it is placed on the palm.
Plantar Grasp Reflex: A reflex where the infant’s toes curl downwards when the sole of the foot is stimulated.
Stepping Reflex: It is an involuntary movement response. When placed upright with the feet touching a flat surface, the infant’s legs move in a stepping motion like walking.
Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR): Also called the Fencing Reflex. When the head of a baby is turned towards one side, the arm on that side will straighten, whereas the arm on the opposite side, will bend.
Sucking Reflex: An involuntary response seen in infants that is crucial for their survival. It involves automatically sucking when something touches the roof of their mouth.
Swallowing Reflex: Crucial for an infant’s survival, this reflex is a result of a complex interplay of various organs such as the mouth and oesophagus, that allows the food to be moved from the mouth to the stomach for digestion.
Galant Reflex: It is the reflex seen in newborn babies where they laterally turn their bodies to the side, they are stimulated on, that is, if their spine is stroked in a particular direction, they tend to curve their trunk towards that.

2) POSTURAL REFLEXES: They are automatic movements that help maintain posture and movement control of the body and appear later than primitive reflexes, but usually in the first few years of life.  The different types of Postural Reflexes are:
Righting Reflexes: An innate reflex that helps the individual maintain the orientation of body in time and space, by aligning the head and body.
Equilibrium Reflexes: A reflex that helps maintain the body’s balance when the body’s centre of gravity gets disturbed.
Protective Extension Reflexes: Also called the Parachute Reflex, this reflex helps the individual maintain balance, by extending their arms and opening their hands, when there is an unexpected trigger causing the body to move forward or be displaced. It is a Protective reflex that protects the individuals from falls and injuries.

Thus, we see the crucial roles for survival and protection, that each of these reflexes play, in the lives of the infants and the early years of a child. In the next blog, we will explore what Retained Reflexes are and how they impact the development of the child, in the later years.

RESOURCES:
https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Gerontology/Human_Aging%3A_Biological_Perspectives_(DiGiovanna)/06%3A_Nervous_System/6.09%3A_Age_Changes_in_Reflexes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patellar_reflex
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflex
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_reflexes
https://www.occupationaltherapy.com/articles/understanding-primitive-reflexes-they-impact-5409-5409

https://www.dnbpediatrics.com/2016/02/neonatal-postural-reflxes.html

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Author Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal

Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal is a Registered Special Educator (CRR: A64010), a Psychologist and an Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner (UNESCO-CID). She is an Avaz Certified Educator and Certified in Dyslexia Teacher Training. She is also an art educator for children with additional needs.

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“The Sea”
Acrylic Painting on Canvas Board
Kabir Vernal