Retained reflex activities and regression.

[MistyMountain]

I am doing some exercises for retained reflexes and integrated movements with my dd that we got from a COVD. It mentions that there could be behavior regressions when you first start. She is acting like herself behavior wise but her handwriting seems to have regressed this week from what she has been doing. Could it be related? Part of me thinks these exercises are a little hokey but I do want to give it a try this time.

[kbutton]

It could be. The exercises are a big effort for the brain that is changing. We found them to be life changing. I hope you are able to do them consistently with a minimum of fuss. 

[MistyMountain]

So it has now been a few weeks with two kids. With one child I do not notice much of a difference yet but the other just had a really good week at school compared to most and I notice small changes in handwriting for the better. I wonder if it is fluke or if it could be making a difference.

Edited December 3, 2016 by MistyMountain

[kbutton]

So it has now been a few weeks with two kids. With one child I do not notice much of a difference yet but the other just had a really good week at school compared to most and I notice small changes in handwriting for the better. I wonder if it is fluke or if it could be making a difference.

 

Believe... ;)

 

Seriously, I hope it's helpful! It's not always so obvious, but our COVD was just telling us this week that when a child does certain tasks with ocular motor dysfunction, the brain uses a totally "wrong" pathway to complete the task. Once the dysfunction is resolved, and they give the same kids the tasks again, the "right" parts of the brain light up. Brain inefficiency can be troublesome, but not always obvious until the load or the tasks get complicated enough to tax a particular individual. Or they don't even realize it's an issue until it's all the way gone. I think sometimes the improvement is obvious, and other times, the therapy avoids trouble down the road that isn't as obvious yet. 

[MistyMountain]

The one that is improving more is older with a bigger workload and had issues that were a little milder. I guess that does make sense why I would notice the difference more in that case.

[geodob]

Though Primitive Reflexes, aren't actually part of the brain.

They are part of the Autonomic Nervous System, that a baby is born with and operates unconsciously.

Which are located along the Spinal Column. 

With different Reflexes, at certain Vertebrae.

Where each Reflex has a bundle of Nerve Cells, call a Ganglion.

 

One example of a Reflex ganglion, is the one controls our Bladder, and another is our Intestine.  Where both can automatically sense 'pressure', and also control the associated muscles.

Which also control our breathing and heart rate, and all other organs.

With a new born baby, their brain is yet to develop control of the muscles in their limbs, body and head.

So that they are instead operated from the spinal column.

For example, a newborn is unable to consciously turn its head.

But a ganglion near the top of the spinal column?

Will detect when a babies cheek is touched.  Causing automatic muscle contractions, that will turn a babies head in the direction of the touch.

 

So that when we talk about the 'Integration of a Reflex'?

What we are really talking about, is the brain taking control of Reflex Ganglion,so that it doesn't operate automatically.

Where it develops the ability to inhibit the automatic muscle response.

Changing it from an unconscious, to a conscious response.

 

Notable examples of this, are when an infant develops conscious control of their bladder and bowel.

While the baby was born with a connection between their spinal column ganglion and bladder/ bowel.

 

A connection needs to be formed between the brain and spinal column ganglion. 

So that it can develop the ability to inhibit an automatic reflex, and take conscious control.

 

Though with a 'Retained Reflex' ?  While a conscious connection to the ganglion has been established.

The automatic reflex, is still active.

Where you might think of the Bladder in this regard?

When you get and notice the 'urge to pee'?

 

The brain needs to instantly inhibit the Reflex to empty the bladder.

As a Reflex happens in just hundredths of a second.

 

So that with 'retained reflexes' and 'integration'?

It is the brain that is being integrated, which enables conscious control.

 

While we have this term: 'Primitive Reflexes', and 'Neo-Natal Reflexes'.

It might be more helpful to understand them in terms of our 'Autonomic Nervous System'.

That locates the different Reflexes, at certain vertebrae along the spinal column?

 

This term 'integration', is really not accurate?

As what we are really talking about?  Is developing the ability to Conscious control, of certain Reflexes of the Autonomic Nervous System.

With Remediation involving the development of Conscious control.

[MistyMountain]

I see the term integration used more often but what you are saying does make sense to me and your terms actually help me bring up some good articles that go into a little more depth into what is happening then the ones I was finding. I like getting lots of details. I was very skeptical but I figured it was worth trying this time. I wonder why some people do not develop control. I am guessing I could have some too based on symptoms and it seems these things tend to occur in families.

[kbutton]

If you have a few minutes, maybe you could post the articles you found or your search terms. Some of what is out there under retained reflexes gets pretty woo pretty fast, which is why I try to talk about our experience rather than post a lot of stuff.  

 

I would not at all be surprised that it runs in families--I think I have some problems in this regard. I know that we have developmental vision problems in the family at large--convergence issues, lazy eyes, etc. I don't know about larger nervous system problems because people often don't really know there is a problem when it's subtle, or no one talks about it if learning issues aren't also present.

 

I know that this stuff was thought to be directly related to not getting certain kinds of stimulation during development, and people who work with kids do see an increase in certain kinds of issues when people change their child-rearing techniques or gear (like kids being carried in the handled carseats all over). It was also thought to go along with lower IQ. I believe that thinking has changed a lot, but I am not sure what has replaced it. My kids had a lot of floortime and things like that, yet they had these issues. I asked someone who works as a consultant with kids who have learning challenges, and she asked me how long my labors were with my kids. They were short (less than six for the first and less than 3 for the second with almost no pushing either time). I guess one theory is that these reflexes (of whatever term we should be using) are involved in the labor process, and shorter labors or c-sections interfere with development. Who knew? Is it correct? I don't know. 

 

I am super glad we have therapies for this stuff though!

[BooksandBoys]

If you have a few minutes, maybe you could post the articles you found or your search terms. Some of what is out there under retained reflexes gets pretty woo pretty fast, which is why I try to talk about our experience rather than post a lot of stuff.

 

I would not at all be surprised that it runs in families--I think I have some problems in this regard. I know that we have developmental vision problems in the family at large--convergence issues, lazy eyes, etc. I don't know about larger nervous system problems because people often don't really know there is a problem when it's subtle, or no one talks about it if learning issues aren't also present.

 

I know that this stuff was thought to be directly related to not getting certain kinds of stimulation during development, and people who work with kids do see an increase in certain kinds of issues when people change their child-rearing techniques or gear (like kids being carried in the handled carseats all over). It was also thought to go along with lower IQ. I believe that thinking has changed a lot, but I am not sure what has replaced it. My kids had a lot of floortime and things like that, yet they had these issues. I asked someone who works as a consultant with kids who have learning challenges, and she asked me how long my labors were with my kids. They were short (less than six for the first and less than 3 for the second with almost no pushing either time). I guess one theory is that these reflexes (of whatever term we should be using) are involved in the labor process, and shorter labors or c-sections interfere with development. Who knew? Is it correct? I don't know.

 

I am super glad we have therapies for this stuff though!

I don't know either, as I'd say the research is far from sufficient, but my boy with retained reflexes (DS1, now almost 9 years old) is my c-section, no labor, pre-term baby. My other two were full-term VBACs with long labors. All had tons of floor time and we always carried them in arms instead of car seats.