11/14/2025
primitive reflexes are normal in infancy, but if they don’t integrate on time, they can show up later as posture, movement, focus, or sensory challenges in older children or adults 🙅🏽♀️
here’s a quick breakdown of each one I tested👇🏼
🌙 SPINAL GALLANT REFLEX
Purpose - helps baby move through the birth canal + coordinate hips
Integrates - by 9 months old
Test - Light stroke along the low back
(+) Retained - hips wiggle toward the touch
Presents as - wiggling, difficulty sitting still, waistband sensitivity, bedwetting, low back tension
🌿 BABINSKI REFLEX
Purpose - indicates healthy neurological development.
Integrates - between 12–24 months old
Test - stroke bottom of foot
(+) Retained: toes fan out and big toe lifts up
Presents as - clumsiness, balance issues, toe-walking, lower-leg tension
🦶🏼PLANTAR GRASP REFLEX
Purpose - builds early foot strength + balance
Integrates - by 12 months old
Test - press ball of the foot
(+) Retained - curling of toes / strong toe-gripping
Presents as - poor balance, unstable gait, tight feet/calves, trouble coordinating lower body movements
🌼 PALMAR GRASP REFLEX
Purpose: develops hand strength + fine motor skills
Integrates - by 4–6 months
Test - press into the palm
(+) Retained - fingers automatically grip
Presents as - handwriting struggles, weak fine motor skills, hand fatigue, awkward pencil grip
🍼 ROOTING REFLEX
Purpose - helps baby find breast or bottle to feed
Integrates - by 3–4 months
Test - stroke cheek/mouth area
(+) Retained - head turns toward the touch
Presents as - messy eating, drooling, picky eating, speech challenges
🔆 ATNR REFLEX
Purpose - supports rolling, crawling & hand-eye coordination
Integrates - by 6 months
Test - turn head on all fours or in “zombie” pose
(+) Retained - bending of the opposite arm or arms dropping / crossing midline
Presents as - poor handwriting, trouble crossing midline, clumsiness, poor posture, neck tension, mixed-dominance
pairing adjustments with simple at-home reflex integration exercises gives the nervous system the best support for proper development! if you’re noticing signs in your child, come in to have them checked 🙌🏼
