Primitive Reflexes
Babies have special inborn reflexes, called primitive reflexes, that help them navigate the birthing process and adapt to life after being born. I have been learning more about these incredible reflexes lately and I have to say that the human body is so dang intelligent, its mind blowing! The primitive reflexes begin forming in utero and are actually already working during the birth process. Many of these reflexes are utilized during birth as the baby works with the mom to make their way Earthside. It really is a team effort! In order to make it through the birth canal the baby has to twist, turn and maneuver its way down. These mechanics are directed by the primitive reflexes. Pretty amazing!
Once the baby has made it safely out of the womb they have even more reflexes that come online to help them adapt their environment, interact with their caregivers and continue their neurological development. For example, the Spinal Galant Reflex helps the baby descend down the birth canal and will later play a role in crawling, bladder & bowel control and development of posture. The Rooting Reflex is when a baby naturally turns its head toward any stimulation to the side of its mouth or cheek. This helps it latch onto mom’s nipple and feed. Or the Palmar Grasp Reflex, which is when a baby will instinctively wrap its hand around your finger, is important for fine motor skills later in childhood.
The key with these perfectly planned reflexes is that they must be activated at the right time and also integrated on time. The reason this is crucial is because these reflexes pave the way for more refined, mature neurological pathways to develop. However, if they are not integrated appropriately, meaning they do not go away when they are supposed to, then they can interfere with the child’s development. They act as building blocks for the nervous system and must be used as such.
Since I have been learning so much more about these reflexes recently I have been checking them on every baby I see. They provide valuable information about the state of the babies nervous system and allow me to notice changes in the babies adaptability as we work together.
Why would chiropractic help with reflexes? Because chiropractic care helps the nervous system function more optimally. The goal with the chiropractic adjustment is to remove tension in the spine that causes interference to the nervous system. This brings the body back into harmony and allows normal physiology to resume. If any of these reflexes are not initiated or integrated correctly it could be due to an interference in the nervous system. Chiropractic is an amazing tool to address these underlying issues and ultimately help your baby adapt more effectively to life so that they can grow, develop and thrive!
This blog post was inspired by an article I read in Pathways Magazine, Issue 85, by Dr Stephanie Libs. Dr Stephanie goes into more detail about this topic in and you can read that article here.