PRIMITIVE REFLEX INTEGRATION - HARTFORD, SD
Your child isn't difficult.
Their nervous system needs support.
Retained primitive reflexes are one of the most underidentified root causes of behavioral, developmental, sensory, and learning challenges in children, and most parents have never heard of them.
When these reflexes don't integrate as they should in the first year of life, they continue to fire in the brain and nervous system — disrupting focus, emotional regulation, coordination, sensory processing, sleep, and academic performance.
UNDERSTANDING PRIMITIVE RREFLEXES
What are primitive reflexes
and why does it matter
if they're retained?
Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns that develop in the womb and are present at birth. They serve critical neurological purposes in early development — helping the baby survive, move, and begin building the pathways for higher brain function.
Under normal development, these reflexes integrate — meaning they are absorbed into higher brain function by around 12 months of age. When they don't integrate on schedule, they remain active in the nervous system. And when a primitive reflex is still firing, it interferes with the higher-level brain functions that are trying to develop on top of it.
Think of it like trying to build the upper floors of a house when the foundation is still shifting. The structure is unstable — not because the child isn't capable, but because the foundation needs to be stabilized first.
Common retained reflexes
we work with
Moro (startle) Reflex
The "startle" reflex. When retained, often shows as heightened anxiety, sensory sensitivity, poor impulse control, and difficulty with change.
STNR Reflex
Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex. Often shows as difficulty sitting still, poor posture, "W" sitting, difficulty transitioning between positions.
ATNR Reflex
Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex. Connected to reading, writing, and crossing the midline, difficulties in these areas often trace back to retained ATNR.
TLR Reflex
Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex. Affects muscle tone, balance, and spatial orientation. Often shows as poor coordination, motion sensitivity, and difficulty with physical activities.
SIGNS YOUR CHILD MAY HAVE RETAINED PRIMITIVE REFLEXES
Does this sound like
your child?
-
Difficulty sitting still or focusing
-
Sensory sensitivities (clothing, noise, touch)
-
Emotional outbursts or meltdowns
-
Anxiety or worry
-
Difficulty reading or writing
-
Poor coordination or balance
-
Heightened startle response
-
Sleep difficulties
-
Bedwetting
-
Motion sickness
-
Difficulty crossing midline
-
Poor impulse control
-
"W" sitting or unusual postures
-
Resistance to change or transitions
-
Delayed milestones
-
Labeled ADHD
-
Labeled sensory processing disorder
-
Skipped milestones
OUR APPROACH
How we integrate retained reflexes.
Reflex integration is a process, not a one-time fix. We combine gentle chiropractic adjustments to support the nervous system with specific movement-based exercises designed to complete the neurological integration the reflex never finished.
Parents are given a home exercise routine, typically 3 to 5 times daily, that takes only a few minutes and directly stimulates the reflex pathways. With consistent care and home exercises, most families begin to see meaningful changes within 4 - 6 weeks.
These are not children who need to be medicated or managed. These are children whose nervous systems needed a foundation, and we help build it.
A REAL CASE FROM OUR PEDIATRIC OFFICE IN HARTFORD, SD
A 6-year-old who couldn't sit still, couldn't focus,
and hadn't slept in his own bed in three years.
He came to us with retained STNR, ATNR, Moro, and TLR reflexes, along with spinal misalignments keeping his nervous system in constant fight or flight. Teachers described him as destructive and unable to focus. Mom just wanted him to be able to sit still long enough for a bedtime story.
-
Week 2 — More good days at school. Starting to sit for stories.
-
Week 4 — Sleeping in his own bed. Focused for 20-30 minutes.
-
Week 8 — Completed his first spelling test. Tolerating loud events. Wearing layered clothing. Mom said: "completely different kid."
This is not the exception. This is what we see when we find the root cause.
WHAT MOMS WANT TO KNOW
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chiropractic care safe for children?
Yes. Pediatric specific adjustments use extremely gentle, low-force techniques. Our team is ICPA Pediatric Certified with specialized training in caring for infants and children.
What are primitive reflexes?
Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns present at birth that help your baby survive and begin building neurological pathways. They are designed to integrate, be absorbed into the nervous system, within the first year of life. When they don't integrate on schedule they continue to fire in the brain and interfere with the development happening on top of them.
How do I know if my child has retained primitive reflexes?
Common signs include difficulty sitting still or focusing, sensory sensitivities, emotional outbursts, poor coordination, difficulty reading or writing, anxiety, sleep struggles, and bedwetting. Many children with retained reflexes have been labeled ADHD or sensory processing disorder without anyone ever looking for the underlying neurological reason.
How does reflex integration work and how long does it take?
We combine gentle chiropractic adjustments with specific movement-based exercises designed to complete the integration the reflex never finished. Parents are given a simple home routine, a few minutes, two to three times daily. Most families see meaningful changes within two to four weeks of consistent care.