Retained Primitive Reflexes, Neurodevelopment and Milestones

We are all born with innate movements and reflex patterns called primitive reflexes. These are reactive actions that help a baby during the birth process and are essential for survival, especially during periods of stress or danger. They also form the foundational roots of the nervous system and are the building blocks for processing sensory information and learned movements and skills.

Physical, biochemical, and emotional stress(es) may occur that can affect a person’s ability to use these reflex patterns effectively, or cause them to become active again after they have been integrated. Primitive reflexes should be integrated into the rest of the nervous system by the time the first year of life is complete. They get overruled by higher-level reflexes called postural reflexes and higher levels of thinking and are no longer necessary once the nervous system develops.