It’s the holidays, and along with the fun comes a whole other set of stressors that may cause already inflexible children (and their families) to miss the magic.
Why Does My Child Act This Way?
A big snowstorm near one airport can cause flight delays and cancellations all over the country. While people got to their destinations eventually, this causes a great deal of anxiety and disruption to people’s lives, especially during the holidays.
Just as air travel is dependent upon an organized system of flight patterns, our nervous system is organized around a system of reflexes. Primitive reflexes support survival and development in infants, to be replaced with higher-level reflexes as the brain and muscles mature. Reflexes need to be working properly in order for us to move through life with ease and flow.
When reflexes are not integrated, or working properly, they are like cancelled flights and closed airports, causing disruption, disorganization, and distress to the person’s functioning, attention, learning, and family.
Signs of Retained Reflexes in Children
Retained/not integrated reflexes are often at the root of the behavior that causes parents worry and wonder:
Why does my child act this way?
Did you know that:
Bedwetting beyond the age of 5 and sleep problems may be related to a retained Spinal Perez reflex?
A child who hates to wear shoes may have a retained Babinski reflex?
The child who continually drops or knocks things over when he turns his head, may have a retained ATNR (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex)?
An aggressive, defiant child prone to temper tantrums may have a retained Fear Paralysis Reflex?
An infant with problems nursing may have an inactive Grasping Reflex?
A child who craves sweets and tends to snack rather than eat whole meals may have a retained Moro Reflex?
A student with memory and reading problems may have a retained STNR (Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex).
A student who speaks well but can’t get her thoughts on paper may have a retained ATNR reflex?
A student with poor organizational skills may have an unintegrated Landau Reflex?
Reflexes Can Be Integrated
The list goes on and on. It is fascinating to see how everything is connected. Frustrating or difficult behaviors and challenges with learning are related to something. They are not about not caring, being unmotivated, bad parenting, or being “bad kids.” They are related to reflexes and underlying learning/processing skills that are not supporting the person well enough.
The encouraging thing is that these reflexes can be integrated and weak underlying skills can be developed. When the pathways are open, the brain is available and ready to pay attention, learn, and function properly.
Neuroplasticity research tells us that through targeted and intensive training, the brain can be rewired to process information more effectively.
Do you or your child struggle with dyslexia, reading, spelling, learning or attention?
These challenges can be changed. While there are no simple, overnight solutions, most learning and attention challenges can be dramatically improved or completely corrected through developing the weak underlying skills and remediating the affected academic areas. Need to know more??
Quick Answers
Why does my child act this way?
Frustrating or difficult behaviors and challenges with learning are not about not caring, being unmotivated, bad parenting, or being “bad kids.” They are related to reflexes and underlying learning/processing skills that are not supporting the person well enough.
What are retained reflexes?
When reflexes are not integrated, or working properly, they are like cancelled flights and closed airports, causing disruption, disorganization, and distress to the person’s functioning, attention, learning, and family.
Can retained reflexes be fixed?
Yes. These reflexes can be integrated and weak underlying skills can be developed. When the pathways are open, the brain is available and ready to pay attention, learn, and function properly.
Jill Stowell, M.S.
Founder and Executive Director of Stowell Learning Centers and bestselling author of At Wit's End and Take the Stone Out of the Shoe. For more than 40 years, Stowell Learning Centers has helped children and adults correct the root causes of dyslexia, learning, and attention challenges. More about Jill
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