{"id":10166,"date":"2021-03-07T12:36:05","date_gmt":"2021-03-07T12:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=10166"},"modified":"2021-07-15T07:13:23","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T07:13:23","slug":"what-are-retained-primitive-reflexes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-visual-development\/vision-therapy-for-primitive-reflexes\/what-are-retained-primitive-reflexes\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Retained Primitive Reflexes?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Primitive reflexes are essential for development of your baby&#8217;s brain. However, if these are \u2018retained\u2019 there could be consequences for your child.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The foundation of a child\u2019s ability to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-vision-development\/\">learn and develop<\/a> starts with their primitive reflexes. In their first few months of life, primitive reflexes \u2014 the reflex actions in the central nervous system \u2014 are crucial for the development of their brain.<\/p>\n<p>To a parent, the primitive reflexes can be seen as their child\u2019s ability to grab with their fingers, crawl, move or tilt their head in response to sound or movement. These slight movements are signs of a healthy newborn.<\/p>\n<p>However, very importantly, as a baby\u2019s brain matures, they should lose these basic primitive reflexes and no longer display them after 5-7 months.<\/p>\n<p><b>Retained primitive reflexes can impact a child\u2019s learning, attention, reading and sports performances.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Retained primitive reflexes may\u00a0 result from a problem at birth or during those first few months of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-vision-development\/\">infant development.<\/a> Retained primitive reflexes can show itself from something as small as a lack of crawling to something more severe like a child that is prone to falls or poor body control.<\/p>\n<p><b>When a child retains primitive reflexes it can not only affect their development but their vision as well<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p><i>If you are concerned that your child has retained primitive reflexes, visit your eye doctor for an eye exam.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\"><strong>Contact an eye doctor<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0near you that can conduct eye exams that can help find a solution to your child\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SEE RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-visual-development\/vision-therapy-for-primitive-reflexes\/anxiety-activated-by-reflex-codes\/\">Anxiety Activated by Reflex Codes<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find an eye doctor for children near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h2><b>What are primitive reflexes?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Primitive reflexes are involuntary\/automatic movements essential for the development of head control, sensory integration, and overall development. Primitive reflexes combine into the growing brain, as a baby grows.<\/p>\n<p>These actions should no longer be active as these movements become controlled and voluntary.<\/p>\n<p><b>Retained primitive reflexes can significantly affect a child\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-for-school\/eye-conditions-that-can-affect-academic-success\/\">school achievements<\/a>, confidence and self esteem.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Movement is crucial to integrating primitive reflexes. Movement and vision go hand-in-hand. The integration of primitive reflexes allows a person to move through the world as they develop through the early childhood stages of life. Each stage of development is affected by the integration of primitive reflexes, from fine motor to gross motor to oculomotor.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Causes of retained primitive reflexes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>There are many reasons which may contribute to primitive reflexes being retained or \u201cactive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Retained primitive reflexes may be the result of:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Lack of movement in utero<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Stress of the mother and\/or baby during pregnancy<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Infants spending extended time in car seats, carriers, walkers or jumpers, all of which restrict movements.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Illness, injury, trauma, chronic stress<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Other developmental delays<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If later on in life there is a trauma, injury, or stress, reflexes that are integrated may become reactivated.<\/p>\n<p>When primitive reflexes are not integrated, it is important to take care of those missing developmental stages.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/guide-to-vision-therapy\/what-are-the-benefits-of-vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-or-orthoptic-therapy\/\">vision therapy<\/a>, there are ways to retrain and assess the brain which ultimately helps develop the neural pathways necessary to ensure the maturing of your child\u2019s brain.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Vision therapy and primitive reflexes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/guide-to-vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-faqs\/the-dos-and-donts-of-vision-therapy\/\">vision therapy<\/a> program provides exercises to address primitive reflexes.<\/p>\n<p>By imitating the movements of an infant in developing, using rhythmic movement training techniques, patients are able to integrate these retained reflexes.<\/p>\n<p><b>After a program of vision therapy the behavioral and learning issues affected by retained primitive reflexes may become resolved<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>Vision is directly connected to the brain. By addressing retained primitive reflexes, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/guide-to-vision-therapy\/vision-therapy-faqs\/the-dos-and-donts-of-vision-therapy\/\">vision therapy<\/a> program provides the most comprehensive approach to resolving problems that arise.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEARN MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-visual-development\/\">Guide to Visual Development<\/a><\/p>\n<p><i>If you are concerned about your child\u2019s vision, contact an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">eye doctor near you<\/a> to schedule an appointment, they will provide you with information about on vision therapy and the benefits to your child.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Primitive reflexes are essential for development of your baby&#8217;s brain. However, if these are \u2018retained\u2019 there could be consequences for your child.\u00a0 The foundation of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10167,"parent":10169,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[476,87,95,490,358,101],"class_list":["post-10166","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-17-key-visual-skills","tag-adhd","tag-childrens-vision","tag-reading-and-learning","tag-vision-development","tag-visual-skills"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What are Retained Primitive Reflexes? - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-visual-development\/vision-therapy-for-primitive-reflexes\/what-are-retained-primitive-reflexes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What are Retained Primitive Reflexes? - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Primitive reflexes are essential for development of your baby&#8217;s brain. 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