retained reflexes and proprioceptive exercises-help pls

[oddgirl]

Hi
have posted this once already but Totalchaos kindly suggested I re-posted with a different title so hopefully will get more responses!
I am new on here & so forgive any mistakes!
I have 4 year old DS with verbal & motor dyspraxia who is running into problems in reception with behaviour/concentration/distractibility. Good support at school & good speech therapy and very erratic OT therapy.
I have been seeing an INPP practitioner since Sept to help with DS retained reflexes and proprioception and just wanted any advice/experience others had had with reflex inhibition and improved behaviour and how long results took.
His speech and language have improved dramatically since starting reflex inhibition but would like to see calmer DS emerge if poss!!
Thanks in advance

sorry i only have the exercises for ds2's spinal Galant reflex. I described these in another thread a while back. They mostly require him to be standing up and moving his arms or on hands and knees, so not suitable for Riven's dd.

hello to Riven by the way, glad you are back

Riven-I think the problem with a lot of the exercises for retained moro is that they are often based on rollong-if you improve your vestibular sense (ie inner ear and balance) many of the retained reflexes are supposed to begin to resolve so when DS started he simply did a roll in a blanket BUT he had to initiate the roll because initially he used to try and stand up rather than keep in a log roll position...not sure of anything specific for retained moro as we are still working on the basic roll...apparently you need to get the basics first befor you can move on...I did with INPP practitioner but not sure if Handle do same sort of thing. I will let you know if we do anything specific for moro but you do need to be careful as you can make the problem worse apparently.
I really hope something works for your DD...

does anyone know how to do skin brushing?

I did joint compression and Wilbarger brushing with DS-supposed to help with sensitivities and proprioception-am not sure it has been that useful. With Wilbarger brudsing you need a soft surgical brush and we used to brush DS all over (not stomach/chest or fronts of legs or face)making sure the brush didnt leave the skin. A good OT should be able to show you.
I know others have used body and face brushing for retained reflexes and I would be really interested if anyone had done this.

Oddgirl [ We did body brushing and joint compression for retained reflexes for four months in all. Then gave up as couldn't see it had made the blindest bit of difference. Ds2 still has STNR reflex.

yomellamohelly - did you have exercises as well?

yomellamohelly-we have also given up brushing but I have to say DS doesnt have that much of a problem with hypersensitivity so may not have been an ideal candidate for brushing anyway. I have to say the exercises have definately made a difference and when tested the only reflex poor DS hadnt retained was the spinal galant-everything else was well and truly present...

improving slowly - We do have exercises. Not sure how they work exactly. I believe it works on the idea that by stimulating certain reflexes you create correct patterns of movement. (May be wrong there though - bit of a language barrier and the leaflets are quite general.) Do them 3x a day. Ideally we'd fit in 4 but I don't know how anyone manages that! Whenever I'm feeling guilty dh has to remind me that a day is only so long.

Hi-just wondering how others getting on with reflex exercises-have to report DS doing for 5 months and now real positive changes happening-definite improvements in proprioception happening now-eg DS used to be unable to play Simon Says-he simply found it impossible to locate where his eyes/ears/mouth are-just wildly touched the top of his head-now can do perfectly and can also stick his tongue out to order (totally impossble before). This has obviously had a huge impact on his speech as his tongue more mobile...
Behaviour slowly getting there too so am really pleased and finally starting to draw!!! So very proud of him...dont care othes in his class can write sentences...my DS can finally draw a rocket and I think thats bloody fantastic considering where we were 4 months ago (couldnt even hold pen).

Let me know how things are going for others...

Seeing her upset must be the worst thing-try log rolling her in a blanket with eyes shut or mask on-anything to shut out visual stimulation-slow roll 1-3 times each way (to the right first). Start with 1 roll and build up to 3-only need to do once a day-if it upsets her just stick to 1-arms positioned above her head if she can but if too hard dont worry.Try not to have tv/radio on so she can concentrate on how it feels to roll and improve senses of her inner ear. let me know how she goes-really hope it helps

Oddgirl:
My DS age 3.5 also has general and verbal dyspraxia. I looked into doing OT that focused on retained reflexes and had my boy assessed and got a series of exercises to do. What I found though, when I asked directly and researched it, was that there wasn't scientific evidence to support treatment working that way. So that my child would be part of the research for that kind of treatment. As the exercises were all really repetative and no fun to do with him, I ended up quitting that therapy, as there are so many fun ways to do all the work that you need to do with them, that it isn't worth putting your child through a not fun experience, if you get what I mean!

So - we end up doing a number of different types of therapies for this - the most fun is horse riding through RDA - also not got great scientific research behind it - but it makes good sense to me (in terms of improving balance and self correcting and knowledge of where your body is in space) and my boy loves it!

Then the most important OT we do is sensory intergration therapy, which seems to be getting good results.

Are you based in London?

Hi hayley K-no I am based in Herts. We also do sensory integration and loads of swimming and gym and balance board to help with balance etc. Whilst I totally agree that reflex inhibition is not well researched with peer review etc for us it has definately made the biggest difference-and we only do one 2 min exercise a day so no problem with compliance at the mo.Of course if it became a misery to do we would reconsider!
I personally think that for all these disorders a holistic multi-disciplinary approach is the best policy and sometimes a bit of trial and error to find the best approach is required.
Really interesting re horse riding-glad it is working so well!

Well, I would't worry about scientific research, maybe no one bothered as yet?
We have just started with my ds the so-called Brain Gym exercises, having read Smart Moves, I can see logic behind it all and I think any stimulation to senses should be good and diff people might respond differently, we are not all wired in the same way. (My ds not keen on horses.)

Riven, another exercise you could try with your dd is lazy-8, which is basically trying to draw a horizontal 8 in front of you in the air. The idea is to move the arm as wide as poss in front of you with the thumb sticking out - and follow that thumb with the eyes. To get my ds started I stood in front of him and asked him to mirror me. Even if your dd is unable to move her arm/s, maybe she could follow your movement with her eyes? This exercise is meant to help activate both brain hemis and help visual skills. I got my ds doing it with right and left arms and also with his feet off the ground (just).
The author says to keep repeating these and with repetition the brain should start create more left-right hemi connections. But it's the repetition that is the key.
There is also a cross-crawl (slow-walking in place and touching left elbow to right knee and vice-versa). As your dd can't walk, you could try this when laying down?

Anyone has more ideas on (fun)cross-body exercises, where left arm/leg crosses over to the right etc?

Hi nightcat-
we have also done cross body stuff-apparently if you do lots of games like "touch your left knee with your hand,your right ear with your left hand "etc-also passing a bean bag around your body left to right and right to left round your hips...all this means DS now very confident re left and right...also we go on all fours and stick out right leg and left arm forwards and backwards and vice versa...not sure if I would class as "fun" but DS seems to find it hysterical if I try and do it!!

wow!! love the idea, thanks oddgirl!!
My ds is also a bit hysterical (tho wobbly!) when drawing lazy 8s with his feet!
This sounds daft, but I am also going to get him do cat's cradle.., maybe some other handiwork for fine (finger) motor skills, what was that stuff called where you plaited strands of plastic, a fad a few years ago?

Not sure what that is but I guess anyhting to give them better body awareness has to be a plus...DS fine motor skills are a problem so may try cats cradle as that sounds like a great idea-thanks! I also do lots of picking things up with salad servers and tongs which has helped...let me know how braingym goes as its supposed to be great

We had our first assessment on 20th Jan, which was very interesting. Ds1 was assessed at levels 1 and 2 (mild-moderate) on most things, but at level 4 on the exercises she did to do with visual tracking. Now just chomping at the bit, waiting for the next assessment - unfortunately the therapist is snowed under atm.Can't wait to get going.

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