Retained primitive reflexes occupational therapy near me

Q: What happens if ATNR is not integrated?

ATNR & STNR are two reflexes that are critical for a childs learning and development. Non-integration of these reflexes can lead to difficulties concentrating, difficulties with auditory processing and coordination issues.

Q: What happens if primitive reflexes Dont go away?

What happens if Primitive Reflexes dont go away? If the Primitive Reflexes are retained past the first year of life, they can interfere with social, academic, and motor learning.

Sensory-Motor Therapy Through Play!

Table of Contents Show

Sensory-Motor Therapy Through Play!
An Affordable Therapy Option!
Can you fix retained primitive reflexes?
How do you find retained primitive reflexes?
What happens if ATNR is not integrated?
What happens if primitive reflexes Don't go away?

Pediatric Sensory Therapy (PST) is a private pediatric occupational therapy clinic specializing in Sensory Integration (SI) and primitive reflex integration. We serve families of children birth to 21+ who are experiencing developmental delays, neurologic, genetic or pervasive developmental disorders, sensory integrative dysfunction and behavioral or social concerns. We also offer life skills training for kiddos transitioning out of high school into college, work, or life. These services are covered through most insurance companies through age 24, and beyond if your child is on SSI or Medicare Part B.

Therapists at PST use play as the primary modality, as well as the Therapeutic Listening Program (TLP), Wilbarger Deep Pressure Proprioceptive Technique (DPPT), Vestibular Rehabilitation/Kawar Protocol, Brain Gym, HANDLE, Bal-A-Vis-X , primitive reflex integration and DIR Floortime Techniques in therapy, and much more!

Our focus on the sensory-motor system allows the child to build coordination and strength while integrating primitive reflexes and the sensory systems, as well as learning adaptation skills when faced with challenges, in multiple environments.

An Affordable Therapy Option!

Pediatric Sensory Therapy offers discounted rates to any family with a financial need. You don’t have to be at the poverty level to get help. This means that whether you have insurance or not, your co-pays or private pay rates will be the lowest throughout Oregon and SW Washington. We established this policy to allow anyone the opportunity to access occupational therapy services for their child, on a budget that opens the doors to weekly and regular therapy. Over the years, I found that the low-middle class often falls through the cracks. The low-income can receive Medicaid, which pays for therapy. The working low-middle class may have insurance, but the co-pays and deductibles can be too high, or the benefits too low. By offering our services for discounted rates, we believe that opens our doors to everyone. It is our mission to provide cost-effective quality therapy to all children with special needs.

We accept MOST Insurances. Go to “About PST” to see a list of companies that we carry a contract with as a preferred provider.

Primitive reflexes are the reactive actions that a newborn baby uses to survive in the beginning stages of life. These reflexes are essential in allowing the body to develop properly, and in order for this to happen, these reflexes must be integrated before childhood. If these reflexes are retained and milestones of development are missed, the child may experience some developmental delays as well as significant difficulties with various functional skills later in life.

*Link to full infographic

Why is this reflex important?

Develops the child’s vestibular system
Integrated by age 6 months

Potential effects if retained:

Difficulty for hands to come to the middle of the body and to the mouth
Poor hand-eye coordination

Helpful activities for integration:

Ant’s Marching activity
- Hold both arms out in front of the body with shoulder and elbows straight and palms down arms should be parallel to your shoulders
- March in place while maintaining this position
- Instruct child to look to the left or right side while maintaining arms straight out in front of body
- You can downgrade this activity to decrease the complexity of the task – have your child stand still to eliminate having to coordinate an upper and lower body component
Sitting on the floor or table, moving the arm across the body to the opposite side to pick up items

Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

*Link to full infographic

Why is this reflex important?

Allows child to sit up
Integrates by age 9-11 months

Potential effects if retained:

Poor body coordination of the left and ride side of the body (for example – difficulty with crawling, swimming, etc.)
Decreased strength and activity endurance
Difficulty sitting with a tall, upright position in a chair
Reading/writing delays and difficulties

Helpful activities for integration:

Stretching cat/cow yoga poses
- Download Chicago Occupational Therapy’s book, The Ultimate Mini Guide to Pediatric Exercises for more information about how to do these yoga poses!
Somersaults

Tonic Labrinthine Reflex (TLR)

*Link to full infographic

Why is this reflex important?

Allows the child to roll over and counteracts effects of gravity
Integrates by age 3.5 years

Potential effects if retained:

Posture and balance difficulties
Decreased strength
Toe walking
Fatigue and decreased activity endurance

Helpful activities for integration:

Windmill exercise
Superman pose
- Download Chicago Occupational Therapy’s book, The Ultimate Mini Guide to Pediatric Exercises for more information about how to do these poses!

*Link to full infographic

Why is this reflex important?

Allows the child to crawl and walk, later facilitates movement and range of motion in hips
Integrates by age 1 year

Potential effects if retained:

Difficulty following instructions
Difficulty with paying attention/increased fidgety behaviors
Bed-wetting
Strong dislike for tight fitting clothes, especially around the hip region

Helpful activities for integration:

Sitting criss-cross on the floor during play/activities
Balance games/activities
Core strengthening exercises/activities
- Download Chicago Occupational Therapy’s book, The Ultimate Mini Guide to Pediatric Exercises for more information about core strengthening activities

Other Primitive Reflexes

While this list is not exhaustive, some other commonly retained reflexes in childhood include:

Rooting reflex– can lead to thumb sucking
Plantar reflex– can lead to toe walking
Moro reflex– can lead to an imbalanced vestibular system

For additional information please download Chicago Occupational Therapy’s infographic, “Primitive Reflexes.” If you have questions or concerns about your child’s functioning and/or possible retained reflexes, please Contact Chicago Occupational Therapy or call (773) 980-0300 to learn more about our services and how we can help your child flourish and grow.

Can you fix retained primitive reflexes?

A vision therapy program provides exercises to address primitive reflexes. By using rhythmic movement training techniques that imitate the movements of an infant in development, patients are able to integrate these retained reflexes.

How do you find retained primitive reflexes?

A quick test for a retained ANTR starts with having the child stand with both arms directly out in front of them. Ask the child to slowly turn their head all the way to the left. Their left arm will remain straight and their right arm will bend if the reflex is still present.

What happens if ATNR is not integrated?

ATNR & STNR are two reflexes that are critical for a child's learning and development. Non-integration of these reflexes can lead to difficulties concentrating, difficulties with auditory processing and coordination issues.

What happens if primitive reflexes Don't go away?

What happens if Primitive Reflexes don't go away? If the Primitive Reflexes are retained past the first year of life, they can interfere with social, academic, and motor learning.

retained primitive reflexes occupational therapy