The Retained Reflexes Disrupting Development of Executive Function

This article provides helpful information on retained Primitive Reflexes and executive function. 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.

Executive function is an important cognitive skill developed as a child grows older. However, if one or more Primitive Reflexes are retained, it can interfere with the evolution of a child’s executive functioning skills.

Why is Executive Function Important?

As the brain matures from infancy, a child cultivates executive function skills that require higher-order cognitive skills. Many of these skills include the following:

• Planning and organization
• Attention and focus
• Impulse control
• Working memory
• Emotional regulation
• Time management

Executive function also helps the brain and the body regulate behavior and provides them with the ability to think before acting.

Development of executive function takes place in the prefrontal cortex of the brain and is responsible for any type of goal-oriented activity. These skills begin to mature between the ages of 2 to 5 years old and become more developed during teenage years up to adulthood.

How do retained Primitive Reflexes affect Executive Function?

Children who experience neurological disorders, trauma or retained Primitive Reflexes are often delayed in executive function skills. Typically, the prefrontal cortex of the brain replaces reflexive responses as the child grows and develops. However, if primitive reflexes are retained, voluntary development of executive function skills are often disrupted. The child will most likely experience immature growth in higher-learning skills that carry over into adulthood.

Research shows kids with one or more retained Primitive Reflexes (primarily the Moro reflex and ATNR reflex) have delays in higher-learning functions, including executive functioning skills.

If one or more reflexes are retained, the child’s ability to create neural connections in the brain for executive function skills become weakened. As a result, a child experiences disruptions in classroom learning and everyday functionality.

Parents, teachers and therapists often see digression in the following areas when executive function is impacted by retained Primitive Reflexes:

Emotional Regulation

When retained reflexes disrupt executive function, the child struggles to do the following:

• Can’t regulate the feeling of fight or flight
• Struggles to stay calm when frustrated or overwhelmed
• Has difficulty suppressing negative feelings and anxiety
• Doesn’t know how to self-regulate emotions

Impulse Control

Kids who have trouble with both executive function and retained reflexes often do the following when it comes to controlling their impulses:

• Blurts out answers before others
• Is often distracted and can’t focus on tasks
• Exhibits impulsive behavior
• Interrupts others when they are talking

Planning and Organizing

Planning and staying organized is very difficult for a child with retained Primitive Reflexes. You will often see the following:

• Can’t complete homework or doesn’t know where to start
• Doesn’t know how to complete assignments
• Forgets what to bring to class
• Can’t figure out what to make a priority
• Doesn’t know how to organize thoughts on paper
• Loses homework

Slow Processing Skills

A child who experiences delays in executive function and retained reflexes often has slow processing skills. When this happens, you may see the following:

• Procrastinates homework or getting ready in the morning
• Spends a long time on tasks and projects
• Begins tasks, but gets distracted and doesn’t finish them
• Struggles with writing thoughts on paper or copying notes from the chalkboard

Working Memory

A child who struggles with executive function often forgets information and details needed to complete homework and assignments. Their long-term and short-term memory may be impacted in the following ways:

• Struggles to retain information taught in the classroom
• Can’t follow multi-step processes
• Finds mental math challenging
• Has a hard time comprehending what they read or what they wrote
• Delayed in problem-solving skills
• Can’t remember the sequence of a story (what happens at the beginning, middle and end)

Executive Function and Retained Primitive Reflexes

Retained Primitive Reflexes can severely impact the overall development of executive function skills. Multiple retained reflexes may be responsible for disruptions in the cognitive growth of the child’s ability to use these skills as they mature. Some of the most common retained Primitive Reflexes delaying the development of executive function are as follows:

Moro Reflex

Because the Moro reflex is closely tied to the child’s stress and startle response, it is not a surprise that this reflex is one of the culprits for delaying executive function. It creates fearful environments, impulsive behavior and leaves a child feeling out of control. You may also see the following with a retained Moro reflex:

• Trouble focusing and often fidgets at their desk
• Inability to tune out background noise and becomes distracted
• Has severe reactions to stimuli within their environment
• Can’t control or manage big emotions

Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)

A retained ATNR reflex makes it very difficult for children to develop executive function skills because it’s connected to higher-learning skills (i.e., reading, writing, letter formation, sequencing). As a result, you may see the following disruptions with executive function when the ATNR is retained:

• Can’t cross the midline when tracking across the page (both reading and writing)
• Often writes letters and numbers backward
• Delayed bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination needed for handwriting and copying notes from the chalkboard
• Struggles with working memory
• Doesn’t know how to stay organized
• Can’t stay on task

Spinal Galant Reflex

Because the Spinal Galant reflex is often connected with ADHD-like behaviors, executive function skills become more challenging for kids. You may see some of the following when a child has a retained Spinal Galant:

• Fidgeting, squirming and slouching in desk (can’t put back up against the chair without triggering the reflex)
• Bounces, swings or sits on legs when at their desk
• Struggles with sustained attention and the ability to follow instructions given by the teacher
• Can’t maintain focus and gets distracted by noises and movement within the room
• Doesn’t remember tasks or how to complete assignments

Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

A child with delayed executive function may also have a retained STNR reflex. Here’s what you may find if this reflex is retained:

• Slouched or slumped posture at desk (often lacks core strength)
• Wraps legs around legs of chair to keep from moving
• Trouble with visual focus so they can’t get notes from the chalkboard to their paper
• Has difficulty staying focused and is often distracted
• Can’t free mental space for higher-learning tasks because all their mental energy is focused on moving their body

Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)

A child who struggles with balance, toe walking and is often clumsy typically has a retained TLR reflex. This impacts the child’s executive function in the following ways:

• Delayed spatial awareness (runs into furniture or is clumsy)
• Is not aware of personal boundaries in social settings
• Difficulty with attention and focus
• Trouble spacing letters, numbers, words and paragraphs on the page
• Can’t sequence numbers, especially into columns

Palmar Reflex

A retained Palmar reflex can interfere with a child’s development of hand strength and fine motor skills, which is essential for handwriting development. This delays executive function in the following ways:

• Delays pencil grip development and the ability to manipulate objects (utensils, buttons, zippers, fastens, belts)
• Struggles with writing letters and pencil pressure (writes too soft or too hard)
• Difficulty getting thoughts down on paper
• Can’t copy notes from chalkboard to their notepad

Retained Primitive Reflexes Roadmap

For more information on the signs and symptoms of six retained Primitive reflexes, complete the form below to download a free copy of our Retained Primitive Reflexes Roadmap. When you’ve completed the form, check your email inbox for the download link, including your junk and spam folder. If you do not see the download link come to your email inbox, please email us at info@ilslearning.com.

Research References

Hickey, J., & Feldhacker, D. R. (2021). Primitive reflex retention and attention among preschool children. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 15(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2021.1910606

Konicarová, J., & Bob, P. (2013). Asymmetric tonic neck reflex and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children. International Journal of Neuroscience, 123(11), 766–769. https://doi.org/10.3109/00207454.2013.801471

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