Sensory Disruptions Caused by Retained Primitive Reflexes

This article provides helpful information about retained Primitive Reflexes and sensory disruptions. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

Sensory processing may seem confusing, but it’s actually quite simple. It’s when our bodies take in information within our environment through our senses. Our brains organize the information we receive and process what it is automatically without even realizing it (like breathing).

Sensory information can be processed through any one of the following senses:

• Taste (oral sensory)
• Touch (tactile)
• Smell (olfactory)
• Hearing
• Movement (vestibular)
• Body Awareness (proprioception)
• Internal Sensations (Interoception)

The information we process helps us make decisions on what to focus on, such as listening to the teacher while blocking out background noise (i.e., the tap of a pencil).

When kids experience sensory disruptions, the foundation for academic learning and social behavior may be delayed. It may cause physical reactions, strong emotional behaviors and high-stress responses.

Sensory Processing Disruptions

Sensory integration begins in the womb as the brain senses movements of the mother’s body. When the baby is born, most childhood play provides the child with sensory integration as they organize the sensations of the body with gravity, sight and sound.

However, children who experienced hardship in the womb or during the birthing process may have trouble tolerating sensory information within their environment. Or, if a child doesn’t get the sensory integration they need as a baby or toddler, you may start to see troubling behaviors, sensory meltdowns or delayed learning.

Some of the signs you may notice with a sensory processing disruption include the following:

• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to sound and loud noises
• Can’t filter out background noise
• Only eats 10 foods or less
• Chews on everything, including toys and household items
• Experiences high-energy and ADHD-like behaviors
• Doesn’t like their hair combed
• Avoids certain textures (grainy, slimy, scratchy)
• Can’t wear seams or bands around their waist
• Gags or plugs nose with strong smells

When sensory disruptions are minor, parents may not realize something is wrong until the child goes to school and begins to struggle with learning, social skills, certain behaviors or big emotions.

Kids who may seem “bad” or “disruptive” are often misunderstood because their bodies are on overload and can’t regulate enough to settle the body or the brain to focus and attend.

Sensory Disruptions and Retained Primitive Reflexes

One important thing to remember is retained Primitive Reflexes and sensory processing cannot be separated. They are often tied together and almost always cause sensory sensitivities (sometimes severely) for the child. Research shows kids with retained Primitive Reflexes may display a mild case of sensory sensitivities or a strong response to problems with sensory-motor development.

Two reflexes in particular cause the most problems when it comes to sensory disruptions. The Fear Paralysis and Moro reflexes are two separate reflexes, but often work as a duet. While they can create different issues in a child, there are still many similarities.

Fear Paralysis Reflex

If a Fear Paralysis reflex is retained, it can create hypersensitive responses to a child’s toleration of sound, touch, light, smell and taste. Not only will you see a child’s intolerance to multi-sensory information within their environment, but also trouble with physical triggers.

For example, you may see the child in a constant state of the following:

• Fight or flight
• Freezing or Deer in the headlights
• Sensory Meltdowns
• Dysregulation
• Strong emotional reactions
• Physical pain
• Anxiety
• Sweating or Nausea

A child may also react to a large range of sensory information that includes restraint of movement in some of the following situations:

• Being turned upside down (vestibular system)
• Distant movement of shadows (dizzy or disoriented)
• Sudden temperature change
• Separation anxiety of a familiar person or environment

If a child with sensory disruptions suffers from high anxiety or appears to be anxious for no apparent reason, an active Fear Paralysis reflex is often behind these types of reactions.

Children should be tested for a retained Fear Paralysis reflex by an Occupational Therapist (OT) or professional. However, parents may already know their child has a retained Fear Paralysis reflex from the signs and symptoms listed above.

Moro Reflex

In the first months of life, a Moro reflex acts as an alarm reflex to protect the defenseless infant. As the child grows, the Moro reflex should become dormant over time. However, if the Moro reflex remains present in the child, the brain has a hard time filtering unwanted sensory information.

The Moro reflex, if retained, is most commonly activated by the following:

• Loud noises (auditory)
• Change of light (visual)
• Pain (tactile)
• Strong smells
• Physical touch or affection
• Motion sickness (vestibular)

Children with a retained Moro reflex experience sensory disruptions when they are overloaded by competing sensory stimuli within their environment. Their response is often “act first, think later.” Older children may be hypersensitive to events and situations that may trigger the following:

• Phobias
• Chronic fears
• Anxiety
• Immaturity
• Extreme emotional behavior
• Aggressiveness

In addition, a retained Moro reflex becomes a secondary protective mechanism, especially when the body and brain overacts to sensory information. This could be the reason why the child may overact to unexpected noises (big or small) and will hide or become overly stressed and emotional.

An OT, Pediatric Therapist or other professional can test the child for a retained Moro reflex. They will provide special integration exercises to reduce sensory disruptions and improve sensory tolerance to help the child regulate.

Retained Primitive Reflexes Roadmap

If you want to learn more about how to get your child or students on the right path toward integration, complete the form below to receive our Retained Primitive Reflexes Roadmap. This roadmap will provide you with helpful information on the signs and symptoms of retained Primitive reflexes and how you can start your journey toward integration.

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Integrated Learning Strategies is a Utah-based center dedicated to helping mainstream children and children with learning challenges achieve academic success. Our services provide kids with non-traditional tutoring programs within the Davis County, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, Farmington, and Centerville areas. Areas to find Integrated Learning Strategies include: Reading tutors in Kaysville, Math tutors in Kaysville, Common Core Tutors in Kaysville, Tutors in Utah, Utah Tutoring Programs