Our development is a bit like climbing a staircase: one step builds upon another, and each stage lays the foundation for the next. However, some children may seem to “skip” milestones, such as crawling. While they can still progress, missing these developmental steps can hinder efficiency because part of their central nervous system might remain underdeveloped.

When we are born, the brainstem is the only fully functional part of the brain. The movements we make as fetuses and newborns are reflexive rather than voluntary. These early reflexes—known as inter-uterine and primitive reflexes—should mature into adult postural reflexes by the time we are one to three years old. However, sometimes “typical” development is disrupted due to trauma, hereditary, or environmental factors. This disruption can prevent these reflexes from maturing as expected, which impacts a child’s ability to fully develop both neurologically and physically.

As a result, while a child’s body grows, their neurology may not mature at the same rate. This can manifest in immature emotions, delayed motor patterns, or other subtle signs. For example, parents might overlook small indicators such as frequent tripping, difficulty holding body weight for more than 30 seconds, or low resilience to multi-sensory environments.

When developmental steps are skipped, children may face learning challenges, including issues with eye tracking, core strength, or crossing the midline. Even as adults, we may unknowingly compensate for these difficulties, but they can later manifest as anxiety or depression during teenage years or adulthood.

Retained primitive reflexes and delayed postural control often underlie conditions such as ADHD, ASD, anxiety, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and OCD. These diagnoses group symptoms to explain behaviors within the neurodevelopmental spectrum, often linked to retained reflexes.

The central nervous system can be given a second chance to mature at any age. A simple neurosensorimotor program replicates the movements made as fetuses and babies, helping the brain form new connections.

Primitive reflex integration can assist with:

• Emotional regulation
• Anxiety
• Inattention
• Difficulty sitting still (“ants in the pants”)
• Posture and core strength
• Sensory processing difficulties
• Bedwetting
• Learning difficulties
• Coordination and sports performance

A skilled occupational therapist can conduct primitive reflex testing to assess your child—or even you as an adult if you struggle with anxiety. At Explore Pediatric Therapy, we evaluate the 12 most commonly retained reflexes related to child development and academic performance.

It’s essential to understand that reflex integration work is not a quick fix. Instead, it provides the brain with the opportunity to rewire itself. Like learning a new skill or training for a marathon, creating change at the neurodevelopmental level takes time, practice, consistency, and a clear plan.

By sticking to guidance and home programming, one reflex can be integrated at a time every 4–6 weeks, depending on the severity of the retained reflex. With patience and dedication, this approach can pave the way for lasting improvements in development, learning, and emotional well-being.