Retained primitive reflexes

[Saker]

I took Ds2 to get his eyes tested by a behavioural optometrist today. As he is only 4 there is a limit to what they can test and do but she confirmed that his actual vision is okay and also what I suspected - that his motor problems mean he has trouble with tracking and he tends to move his head instead of his eyes.

Anyway she suggested testing to see if he has any retained primitive reflexes. I can't find anything in the scientific literature about this although there is quite a lot on the web generally about how it can inhibit development further if they persist. So I wondered if anyone else has any experience or knowledge of this? Or knew of any evidence to suggest it is a useful thing to do.

I have wondered about this too Saker, and considered that skin brushing thing and cranial osteopathy. However, I am also not totally convinced by the science, but interested that a behavioural optometrist should mention it.

I'm also toying with cranial osteopathy. Dh is very sceptical, although he is happy for me to try it. Ds2 loves having his head and face rubbed and I sort of justify it by saying he would probably enjoy it but in spite of all my scientific training I have to admit I have a tiny secret hope it might have amazing effects .

Same goes for the primitive reflexes although there is no doubt that such things exist and can persist. What I can't find out is if the treatment to do anything about it really works and if it does if it actually is of any benefit.

Thing with cranial osteopathy is they reckon it's most effective before age 5 so there isn't time to change your mind later IYSWIM

I have various local numbers for cranial osteopaths on my person!
Trudi Styler (sting's wife) did the skin brushing thing with her son. I think there is no evidence, but probably because it hasn't been studied. Frustrating, isn't it? Ds had CO when he was a baby. I don't think it made a blind bit of difference, but he really enjoyed it.

Some friend of my mum's sent me an article she had cut out of the paper about a child with special needs who had been observed at a party by another parent. This parent had suggested his spine was all unaligned or something and that he should see an osteopath. And apparently it "cured" him. I know these types of thing are to be taken with a pinch of salt but you can't help it sowing little seeds of possibility in your head when you are in our situation. We are there to be exploited! And at the same time do we dare not to be exploited in case we miss the genuinely helpful things. It's really difficult.

Well, I think Co isn't that expensive, it's non invasive etc...
I might give it a go. Might also do a bit of research tomorrow.

I think I might also try the cranial osteopathy and the primitive reflexes thing makes quite a lot of sense to me as well. I'm a bit unsure who to pick for CO which has been the main thing that is holding me back. (And I will have to do it in top secret in case any of Dh's patients find out ).

Research seems to show that the retained primitive reflexes thing is real and does delay motor development - it the next bit that is unstudied - how to get rid of them. Exercise seems to help eg catching and throwing a ball (ha!), but most programmes of therapy seem to be for seven and ups. Think I will give CO a try. At least it is pleasant and I don't have to do anything

The optometrist reckoned there were exercises that Ds2 could do for primitive reflexes if he had retained any. I think she was being realistic because she didn't think there were exercises for his eyes that he could manage at this point. Isn't a lot of it to do with "reliving" the bits they missed out as babies? Ds2 did crawl for several months though albeit very late and that seems to be quite important in losing them so I don't know how likely it is that he has. However he doesn't cross midline etc. We have this meeting to discuss Ds2 with all professionals next week so I will ask the physio and OT what they think.

Saker, I don't know if this helps at all:

B-I-R-D

There was a big article in Junior mag about these people a while ago.
I have throught about it for dd as she has some retained primitive reflexes (ATSR for example), and has not developed other reflexes.

Thanks Chonky

I have never come across that before. I will have a proper read of it and see what I can glean.

I asked Ds2's paed about this and he said there was no evidence to support the idea that retained primitive reflexes hinder development.

I also asked a friend of ours who is a consultant neurologist. He was highly scornful and said that it was a very dated theory and that 5% of people with PhD's still retain their primitive reflexes. (I restrained myself from asking how he knew that 5% didn't have Aspergers or dyspraxia). However the general feeling seems to be that there is little evidence to support this so I probably won't pursue it for the time being.

I booked Ds2 for Cranial osteopathy although not for 3 weeks. Have you had any sessions yet Aloha?

OT's often work with retained reflexes though. I trsut good OT's The PhD thing is irrelevent. Nothing to stop someone with retained reflexes from becoming a PhD- desn't mean they're any good at copying from the board! (which is the sort of thing that retained reflexes supposedly get in the way off- move head up to look at board and arm moves etc).

Yes I thought the PhD thing was irrelevant except to show that they don't get in the way of development of intelligence / ability to think and reason. As I say I'm sure there are people with conditions like Aspergers and dyspraxia who have PhDs.