Connecting the Dots

Throughout the years, research has shown that the brain grows and matures in complex ways. Even before an infant is born, the brain stem is hard at work pushing the baby down the birth canal. Primitive reflexes work further to protect the baby so s/he can eat and survive unconscientiously. As the brain matures, most of those early reflexes will integrate or become unnecessary by the time the child is a year old. This is a sign that the brain is growing as it should. When those are retained, it is a clue that the brain may not be developing as intended and needs to be assisted in that growth. This series will explore the main primitive reflexes, how they affect learning and maturing if retained, and how to test and integrate them.