Reflexes - The Secret Key To Unlocking A Child's Full Potential?

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Did you know that the very first movements of an infant are reflexive? But what exactly is a reflex? Reflexes are nervous reactions or responses that happen automatically without you consciously thinking about it.

As an example, you will quickly withdraw your hand if you accidentally touch a hot plate or pot. This is an automatic reaction to protect your hand from damage. You don’t think about it. It just happens naturally. The same happens when you step onto something sharp. You will want to keep these reflexes working!

Reflex Arc

So, how exactly does a reflex work? We all know that our bodies are equipped with senses.

Knowing that, let's look at your hand. In the skin of your hand are nerve endings that pick up on sensory stimuli. These nerve endings are called sensory or afferent neurons. It takes the sensory stimuli to the brain or spine, depending on the reflex itself.

The brain then says “hello, what is this?" and quickly interprets the stimuli. Directly after that, the brain sends a message back to the muscles in the hand via motor neurons or efferent neurons. This causes the muscles in your hand or arm to respond. This process of stimuli being carried to the brain and spine, and then all the way back, is called a reflex arc.

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The messages of certain reflexes have a short 'path' to travel in order to overrule the brain. They only need to travel to the spine and all the way back to the muscles. This allows for quicker reaction time.

An example is the withdrawal reflex which helps to protect the body from damaging stimuli. Now that you know what a reflex is and how it works, what role does reflexes play in the brain development of a child?

Reflexes And Brain Development

To understand how reflexes shape the brain, we need to look at the first notable reflex in the womb called the withdrawal reflex. It can be observed at about five weeks after a baby has been conceived. You can see this reflex in action when the embryo receives touch on his upper lip. He will then immediately withdraw from the stimuli or touch.

A few days later, the sensitivity of that area has spread to other parts of the embryo’s body as well. First it spreads to the palms of his hands, then to the soles of his feet and eventually his whole body is responsive to touch. At this stage, the withdrawal reflex involves a full body reaction.

It is interesting that at 9 weeks in utero this specific reflex lessens, and another type of reflex begins to appear. How does it happen that reflexes go away and new ones appear? It all has to do with a child’s brain development!

As the brain develops from the bottom to the top due to repetition and the constant feedback it receives via the reflexes, brain pathways start to become thicker and stronger. To protect the pathways, the brain will insulate them with fat, almost like the white tape around loose electrical wires.

This process is called myelination. This also helps messages to travel faster and in turn, it leads to a quicker response. Messages that travel along these insulated pathways, can travel up to a speed of 125 m per second. That is as fast as some of the formula 1 racing cars!

Now, as the brain ‘insulate’ the various pathways, new reflexes appear and ‘old’ ones go to rest or ‘integrate’. As you learn more of the various reflexes as well as their timelines, it will basically provide you with a small window through which you can ‘peep’ to see how a child’s brain is busy developing. Isn’t that just amazing! Thus, reflexes can help to assess the integrity or development of the CNS & brain!

Remember that reflexes in a baby happen naturally, they cannot be learned. They also follow a predictable sequence of development and THAT serves as signposts of how the brain develops. Just take note, reflexes can develop into one another or it can develop in parallel or ‘next to’ one another.

Also note that the brain works on a ‘Use-it-or-loose-it’ principle. If the brain doesn’t use certain pathways, they will disappear. Think of it like a footpath. The more you walk in it, the more visible it becomes. If you do not walk in it, nature will take over and the footpath will disappear again.

What are the functions of reflexes?

Primitive reflexes and their function

Reflexes establish specific bodily functions that are necessary to help the fetus survive outside of the womb. This includes helping a baby to breathe after he is born or assisting the little one to feed outside of the womb.

Compared to the intra-uterine reflexes, primitive reflexes further help a baby to move and develop specific muscles of various body parts until he learns to do it by himself.

Have you ever wondered how it works that babies know when they need to turn and lie with their head pointing downwards as their birth is approaching? Together with the vestibular system in the ear, or the balance system in layman’s terms, these reflexes help the fetus to assume the correct positions in the womb. This is yet another function of primitive reflexes! It also helps the fetus to turn and move through the birth canal during a vaginal birth.

For example, the two Spinal Reflexes, the Spinal Pereze & the Spinal Galant, are stimulated or activated by touch to the baby’s back. During the birth process, they help the baby to wiggle down the birth canal during contractions and also empty the baby’s bladder to get rid of any body waste.

This also assists the birth and it promotes the normal functioning of the baby’s bladder and bowel. The ATNR is another reflex that you will learn about later in the course. This reflex is also thought to assist the baby in the birthing process.

Another function of these reflexes is that they help to gather info from the sensory systems such as our eyes, ears and skin. It also helps to wire & establish a strong link between the sensory systems, the brain and the muscles. However, for this to happen the reflexive movements need to be repeated many times over and over again.

Postural reflexes and their function

The postural reflexes develop gradually on top of the primitive ones and can take up to 3 ½ years to fully develop. This is because they need to rewire the brain every time that the baby or child assumes a new posture. For example, going from a 4-point kneeling position into a standing position.

With every new body position, gravity pulls down & influences the vestibular system. These reflexes continually need to learn how to accommodate the various new movement patterns of the child. Their main function is thus to help our bodies work subconsciously against the pull of gravity.

They also help to keep our bodies in line, to maintain equilibrium or balance, and to ultimately prevent injury. Think of walking on a lawn and accidentally stepping into a hole. Your body will automatically react to try and keep itself upright.

Other than the primitive reflexes that need to go to sleep, these postural reflexes stay on for life and never go to rest. They are important for lifelong balance and explain why many clumsy people have balance problems.

Red flags

It is a red flag if any of the following conditions exist:

1. A primitive reflex does not appear during the 1st year of life

2. A primitive reflex appears normally BUT does not disappear before 1 year of age

3. Postural reflexes do not appear by the end of 1st year

4. Postural reflexes do not persist throughout life

5. A reflex is too strong or too weak

6. A reflex is asymmetrical when it should be symmetrical

7. One side of the reflex pattern is weak whilst the other side of the pattern is strong

Implications

As you know by now, the intra-uterine & primitive reflexes have very specific functions to fulfil & they help to wire the brain. But they are only age-appropriate from 5 - 7 weeks in utero up to 12 months after birth. Eventually, they will need to go to rest or become ‘integrated’ otherwise they will interfere with a child’s development.

If primitive reflexes are not stimulated or triggered during birth, it can result in later difficulties such as bedwetting, soiling, inattention or even hyperactivity. This is all according to the latest research.

The following types of births may not trigger these reflexes at all:

• a breech birth,

• a fast last-stage birth,

• an assisted birth using suction or forceps.

A C-section or caesarean birth may also cause a baby to 'lose out' on these primitive reflexes being activated as the baby does not pass through the birth canal.

A very important side note: If you did have any of the mentioned births or know of a child who was not born via a vaginal birth, do not be discouraged. There are various exercises that you can do to first help activate the necessary reflexes and later to put them to rest again. This is good news!

Remember, reflexes initially help a baby or child to develop without him having to think about it. However, later a child needs to move on and make use of the CEO that sits in the chair of his thinking brain. If reflexes do not go to rest or integrate, a child cannot go on to think properly when an unpredicted situation may arise.

Also, it can interfere with the willful movements of a child as reflexes can cause one's muscle tone to continually shift & change whenever it is triggered by the reflex. Further recall that important postural reflexes can only come 'alive' and stay awake once all the intra-uterine & primitive reflexes have gone to sleep.

Some professionals believe that delays in the appearance of postural reflexes are more detrimental to motor success than primitive reflex disorders. The bottom line is this: active primitive reflexes mean that the brain’s wiring is not complete yet.

According to Dr. Melodie de Jager, this can cause children to be immature for their age. "They will be slow to reach their milestones, clumsy & needy, dependent & clingy, over-emotional or even fearful". As you move through the different modules you will see that it can affect children on every single level of their development:

•  physically

•  emotionally

•  socially AND

•  indirectly, academically.

And to quote Dr. de Jager, "Learning will be close to impossible for children with active reflexes and they may be labelled as problem children". From personal experience as well as case studies in our practice, I do not completely agree as I have seen that children are able to learn. However, they do take longer & work harder than what they are supposed to.

Now, it is important to take note that reflex integration is never totally complete. Thus, primitive reflexes never totally disappear. According to Professor Kokot as well as Cheatum & Hammond sickness, fatigue, chronic stress, or even an accident can cause primitive reflexes to pop up from time to time and become active again. This is completely normal!

Also, when brain trauma or a head injury occurred these reflexes will wake up to help repair the wiring in the brain again. In severe cases of injury, they will kick in to try and help the body physically survive. These reflexes will only go back to sleep once they have built & rewired all the necessary pathways in the brain again.

Postnatal Factors Influencing Reflex Integration

Now let's look at postnatal factors that can have an influence on reflex development and integration after a baby has been born. This includes a baby who may have had:

• Prolonged jaundice

• Illnesses associated with a high fever

• Convulsions in the first 18 months of life

• Harmful reactions to toxins

• Severe allergic reactions

• A history of recurring ear, nose and throat infections

A lack of opportunity to move during the first year of life is also something that should not be overlooked. This may be due to a medical reason where the baby may have broken a bone or he had excessive reflux that prevented him to do a lot of tummy time. However, it also extends to the restriction of movement due to the over use of walking rings, baby seats, playpens, or jolly jumpers. Even swaddling after 8 weeks of age or sleeping in a car seat can have the same effect.

Lastly, the clothes of the baby and the physical environment such as the floor are all things that have an influence on the movement of the baby. Also, do not forget the effect of screen time in our modern-day society.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies under the age of 1 should not be allowed any screen time at all. They also do not recommend sedentary screen time for babies between 1 and 2 years of age. For those aged 2 years and older, sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour per day; less is better.

Reflexes And Premature Babies

It is well-recognized in the medical community that the strong persistence or reappearance of primitive reflexes after the age of 12 months, is abnormal. But before you are unnecessarily worried about a child's development, please take note of the following important exception – premature babies! If a baby was born prematurely, you need to keep that in mind when looking at the timeline with regards to the integration of his reflexes.

Remember, premature babies do need additional time to catch up with their peers. They were born too early & did not spend enough time in the womb. Thus, they are a little bit behind and require a few more weeks in their overall development, compared to a full-term baby.

In order to determine how many weeks of grace they need with their development; you can calculate their corrected age. This is the adjusted chronological age where you deduct the time that a baby was born prematurely.

Let’s take Peter as an example. He is born at 28 weeks. This means that he is 12 weeks premature. Although he is currently 4 months in age (chronologically), he is in actual fact only 1 month old in ‘corrected age’. This means that he needs an additional 3 months or 12 weeks of grace with the integration of his reflexes.

This adjustment is only used until a premature baby reaches 1-year corrected age. By this time, he should have caught up with most of his developmental milestones. Also remember that children develop at their own, unique pace. Thus, if a child is on par with the rest of his overall development, do not be too much concerned about 1 or 2 primitive reflexes that may still be visibly active close to his first birthday.

Final Thoughts And Recommendation

The strong existence or reappearance of primitive reflexes after the age of 1 should be checked out by the child's paediatrician. Depending on the type of reflexes still present, they can physically lock the child in a certain position and the child’s motor development can then become stuck.

Persistent primitive reflexes and the delay of postural reflexes are often also associated with developmental challenges such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, hyperactivity or autism. Furthermore, research has shown that some typically developing children may continue to have persistent primitive reflexes such as the ATNR.

The integration of reflexes requires the professional intervention of a trained physical therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or any other paediatric professional who specializes in reflex integration. They all have a degree as well as additional advanced training and are more than qualified to help a child with reflex integration or severe neuro-motor delays.

You are also welcome to contact our practice for more information on reflexes and how we can possibly help your child integrate them by doing a series of exercises. Alternatively, we will be able to help you get in touch with the most appropriate professional who will be able to help your child reach his or her full potential.

Until next time,

Happy moving moments!

Reflekse - Die Geheime Sleutel Tot Die Ontsluiting Van 'n Kind Se Volle Potensiaal

Het jy geweet dat die heel eerste bewegings van 'n baba refleksief is?  Maar wat presies is 'n refleks? Reflekse is senuwee-reaksies of reaksies wat outomaties plaasvind sonder dat jy bewustelik daaroor dink.

Byvoorbeeld, jy sal jou hand vinnig terugtrek as jy per ongeluk aan 'n warm plaat of pot raak. Dit is 'n outomatiese reaksie om jou hand teen die skade te beskerm. Jy dink nie daaraan nie. Dit gebeur net natuurlik.  Dieselfde gebeur wanneer jy op iets skerp trap. Jy sal hierdie reflekse aanhou wil laat werk!

Werking van 'n refleks

So, hoe presies werk 'n refleks? Ons weet almal dat ons liggame toegerus is met sintuie. Kom ons kyk na jou hand. Daar is senuwee-eindpunte op die vel van jou hand wat sensoriese stimuli optel. Hierdie senuwee-eindpunte word sensoriese of afferente neurone genoem. Dit neem die sensoriese stimuli na die brein of ruggraat, afhangende van die refleks self.

Die brein sê dan "hallo, wat is dit?" en interpreteer vinnig die stimuli. Direk daarna stuur die brein 'n boodskap terug na die spiere in die hand via motorneurone of efferente neurone. Dit veroorsaak dat die spiere in jou hand of arm reageer. Hierdie proses van stimuli wat na die brein en ruggraat gedra word, en dan al die pad terugkom, word 'n refleksboog genoem.

Die boodskappe van sekere reflekse het 'n korter 'pad' wat dit beweeg, om gevolglik die brein uit te skakel.  Hulle hoef net na die ruggraat te reis en dan al die pad terug na die spiere.  Dit maak voorsiening vir ‘n vinniger reaksietyd.

'n Voorbeeld is die onttrekkingsrefleks wat help om die liggaam teen skadelike stimuli te beskerm.  Noudat jy weet wat 'n refleks is en hoe dit werk, watter rol speel reflekse in die breinontwikkeling van 'n kind?

Reflekse en breinontwikkeling

Om te verstaan ​​hoe reflekse die brein vorm, moet ons kyk na die eerste noemenswaardige refleks in die baarmoeder wat die onttrekkingsrefleks genoem word.  Dit kan waargeneem word ongeveer vyf weke nadat 'n mamma swanger word.  Jy kan hierdie refleks in aksie sien wanneer die embrio ‘n aanraking op sy bolip kry. Hy sal dan dadelik onttrek van die stimuli of aanraking. 

'n Paar dae later het die sensitiwiteit van daardie area ook na ander dele van die embrio se liggaam versprei.  Eerstens versprei dit na die palms van sy hande, dan na sy voetsole en uiteindelik reageer sy hele liggaam op aanraking.  Op hierdie stadium behels die onttrekkingsrefleks 'n volle liggaamsreaksie.

Dit is interessant dat hierdie spesifieke refleks op 9 weke in utero verdwyn, en 'n ander tipe refleks begin verskyn.  Hoe gebeur dit dat reflekse verdwyn en nuwes verskyn? Dit het alles te doen met 'n kind se breinontwikkeling! 

Soos die brein van onder na bo ontwikkel, a.g.v herhaling en konstante terugvoer wat dit via die reflekse ontvang, begin breinbane dikker en sterker word. Om die paadjies te beskerm, isoleer die brein hulle met vet, amper soos die wit ‘insulation tape’ om los elektriese drade.

Hierdie proses word miëlinering genoem. Dit help ook dat boodskappe vinniger reis en op sy beurt lei dit tot 'n vinniger reaksie.  Boodskappe wat langs hierdie geïsoleerde paadjies beweeg, kan tot 'n spoed van 125m per sekonde beweeg.  Dit is so vinnig soos sommige van die Formula 1-renmotors!

Nou, soos die brein die verskillende paadjies 'isoleer', verskyn nuwe reflekse en 'oues' gaan rus of 'integreer'.  Soos jy meer van die verskillende reflekse leer asook hul tydlyne, sal dit basies vir jou 'n klein venstertjie gee waardeur jy kan 'loer' om te sien hoe 'n kind se brein besig is om te ontwikkel.   Is dit nie net wonderlik nie! Reflekse kan dus help om die integriteit of ontwikkeling van die sentrale senuwee stelsel en brein te assesseer!

Onthou dat reflekse in 'n baba natuurlik gebeur, dit kan nie aangeleer word nie. Hulle volg ook 'n voorspelbare volgorde van ontwikkeling en dit dien as aanwysers van hoe die brein ontwikkel. Neem kennis, reflekse kan in mekaar ontwikkel of dit kan parallel of 'langs' mekaar ontwikkel.

Let ook op dat die brein op 'n 'Gebruik-dit-of-los-dit'-beginsel werk. As die brein nie sekere paaie gebruik nie, sal dit verdwyn. Dink aan 'n voetpad. Hoe meer jy daarop loop, hoe meer sigbaar word dit.  As jy nie daarop stap nie, sal die natuur oorneem en die voetpad sal weer verdwyn. 

Wat is die funksies van reflekse?

Primitiewe reflekse en hul funksie

Reflekse vestig spesifieke liggaamsfunksies wat nodig is om die fetus te help om buite die baarmoeder te oorleef. Dit sluit in om 'n baba te help om asem te haal nadat hy gebore is of om die kleinding te help om buite die baarmoeder te voed. 

In vergelyking met reflekse in die baarmoeder, help primitiewe reflekse 'n baba verder om te beweeg en spesifieke spiere van verskeie liggaamsdele te ontwikkel, totdat hy leer om dit self te doen.

Het jy al ooit gewonder hoe dit werk dat babas weet wanneer hulle moet draai en lê met hul kop na onder voordat hul geboorte nader kom?   Saam met die vestibulêre sisteem in die oor, of die balans sisteem in basiese terme, help hierdie reflekse die fetus om die korrekte posisies in die baarmoeder in te neem. Dit is nog 'n funksie van primitiewe reflekse! Dit help ook die fetus om te draai en deur die geboortekanaal te beweeg tydens 'n vaginale geboorte.

Byvoorbeeld, die twee Spinale Reflekse, die Spinale Pereze en die Spinale Galant, word gestimuleer of geaktiveer deur aanraking aan die baba se rug. Tydens die geboorteproses help hierdie reflekse die baba om tydens kontraksies in die geboortekanaal af te wikkel. Dit maak ook die baba se blaas leeg om van enige afvalstowwe ontslae te raak.

Dit help ook met die geboorte proses en dit bevorder die normale funksionering van die baba se blaas en derm. Die ATNR is nog 'n refleks waaroor jy later in die kursus sal leer. Hierdie refleks help ook die baba in die geboorte proses.

Nog 'n funksie van hierdie reflekse is dat dit help om inligting van die sensoriese sisteme soos ons oë, ore en vel in te samel.  Dit help ook om 'n sterk skakel tussen die sensoriese sisteme, die brein en die spiere te bedraad en te vestig. Om dit te laat gebeur, moet die refleksiewe bewegings egter baie keer oor en oor herhaal word.

Posturale reflekse en hul funksie

Die posturale reflekse ontwikkel geleidelik bo-op die primitiewe reflekse en kan tot 3½ jaar neem om ten volle te ontwikkel.  Dit is omdat dit die brein moet her-bedraad elke keer as die baba of kind in 'n nuwe postuur posisie is. Byvoorbeeld, om van 'n 4-punt-knielposisie na 'n staande posisie te gaan. 

Met elke nuwe liggaamsposisie trek swaartekrag af en beïnvloed dit die vestibulêre sisteem. Hierdie reflekse moet voortdurend leer hoe om die verskillende nuwe bewegingspatrone van die kind te akkommodeer. Die hoof funksie is dus om ons liggame te help om onbewustelik teen swaartekrag te werk.

Dit help ook om ons liggame in lyn te hou, om ekwilibrium of balans te handhaaf, en om uiteindelik beserings te voorkom.  Dink daaraan om op 'n grasperk te loop en per ongeluk in 'n gat te trap. Jou liggaam sal outomaties reageer om homself regop te probeer hou.

Die primitiewe reflekse moet gaan slaap, terwyl hierdie posturale reflekse lewenslank wakker bly en nooit tot rus kom nie. Dit is belangrik vir lewenslange balans en verduidelik hoekom baie lomp mense balansprobleme het.

Rooi vlae

Dit is 'n rooi vlag as enige van die volgende kondisies bestaan:

1.     'n Primitiewe refleks verskyn nie gedurende die 1ste lewensjaar nie. 

2.  'n Primitiewe refleks verskyn MAAR verdwyn nie voor 1 jaar nie.                         

3.     Posturale reflekse verskyn nie teen die einde van 1ste jaar nie.

4.     Posturale reflekse hou nie lewenslank nie.

5.     'n Refleks is te sterk of te swak.

6.     'n Refleks is assimmetries wanneer dit simmetries behoort te wees.

7.     Die een kant van die reflekspatroon is swak terwyl die ander kant van die patroon sterk is.

Implikasies

Soos u nou weet, het primitiewe reflekse baie spesifieke funksies om te vervul terwyl dit help om die brein te bedraad.  Maar dit is slegs ouderdomsgepas vanaf 5 tot 7 weke in utero tot 12 maande na geboorte. Uiteindelik sal dit moet gaan rus of 'geïntegreerd' raak anders gaan dit inmeng met 'n kind se ontwikkeling. 

As primitiewe reflekse nie tydens geboorte gestimuleer of geaktiveer word nie, kan dit later 'n invloed he op potjiebeheer en selfs lei tot swak aandagspan of hiperaktiwiteit. Dit is alles volgens die jongste navorsing. 

Die volgende tipes geboortes mag dalk glad nie die reflekse aktiveer nie:

• 'n Brug-geboorte

• 'n Vinnige laaste-stadium geboorte

• 'n Ondersteunde geboorte met behulp van suiging of ‘n tang

'n Keisersnit kan ook veroorsaak dat 'n baba uitmis wanneer hierdie primitiewe reflekse geaktiveer word, aangesien die baba nie deur die geboortekanaal beweeg nie.

'n Baie belangrike nota: As jy enige van die genoemde geboortes gehad het of weet van 'n kind wat nie deur die vaginale geboortekanaal gebore is nie, moenie moedeloos wees nie. Daar is verskeie oefeninge wat jy kan doen om eers die nodige reflekse te help aktiveer en later weer tot rus te bring.  Dit is goeie nuus!

Onthou, reflekse help aanvanklik 'n baba of kind om te ontwikkel sonder dat hy daaraan hoef te dink. Later moet 'n kind egter aanbeweeg en gebruik maak van die "CEO" wat in die stoel van sy denkende brein sit.  As reflekse nie gaan rus of integreer nie, kan 'n kind nie behoorlik dink wanneer 'n onvoorspelbare situasie ontstaan ​​nie.

Dit kan ook inmeng met die vrywillige bewegings van 'n kind, aangesien reflekse 'n mens se spiertonus voortdurend kan verskuif en verander wanneer dit deur die refleks geaktiveer word. Onthou verder dat belangrike posturale reflekse eers ‘’opgewek’’ kan word en wakker kan bly sodra al die primitiewe reflekse gaan slaap het.

Sommige professionele mense glo dat vertragings in die aankoms van posturale reflekse meer nadelig is vir motoriese sukses as primitiewe refleksafwykings. Die slotsom is dit: aktiewe primitiewe reflekse beteken dat die brein se bedrading nog nie voltooi is nie. 

Volgens Dr. Melodie de Jager kan dit veroorsaak dat kinders onvolwasse is vir hulle ouderdom.  "Hulle sal stadig wees om hul mylpale te bereik of lomp wees. Hierdie kinders kan ook baie afhanklik, oor-emosioneel of selfs bang wees."  Soos jy deur die verskillende fases beweeg, sal jy sien dat dit kinders op elke enkele vlak van hul ontwikkeling kan beïnvloed: 

• Fisies

• Emosioneel

• Sosiaal EN

• Indirek, akademies

Om Dr. de Jager aan te haal: "Leer sal byna onmoontlik wees vir kinders met aktiewe reflekse en hulle kan as probleem-kinders bestempel word".  Uit persoonlike ondervinding sowel as gevallestudies in ons praktyk, stem ek nie heeltemal saam nie. Ek het al gesien dat kinders met aktiewe reflekse in staat is om te leer.  Hulle neem egter langer en werk harder as wat hulle veronderstel is om te doen.

Nou is dit belangrik om kennis te neem dat refleksintegrasie nooit heeltemal voltooi is nie.  Dus, primitiewe reflekse verdwyn nie volkome nie.  Volgens Professor Kokot sowel as Cheatum & Hammond kan siekte, moegheid, kroniese stres of selfs 'n ongeluk veroorsaak dat primitiewe reflekse van tyd tot tyd opduik en weer aktief word. Dit is heeltemal normaal!

Ook, wanneer breintrauma of 'n kopbesering plaasgevind het, sal hierdie reflekse wakker word om die bedrading in die brein weer te help herstel. In ernstige gevalle van beserings sal hulle inskop om die liggaam fisies te help laat oorleef.  Hierdie reflekse sal eers weer aan die slaap raak sodra hulle al die nodige paaie in die brein weer gebou en her-bedraad het.

Post-natale faktore wat refleksintegrasie beïnvloed

Kom ons kyk nou na post-natale faktore wat 'n invloed kan hê op refleksontwikkeling en integrasie nadat 'n baba gebore is. Dit sluit 'n baba in wat moontlik die volgende ondervind het:

• Langdurige geelsug

• Siektes wat verband hou met 'n hoë koors 

• Konvulsies in die eerste 18 maande van die lewe   

• Skadelike reaksies op gifstowwe    

• Ernstige allergiese reaksies 

• 'n Geskiedenis van herhalende oor-, neus- en keelinfeksies

’n Gebrek aan geleenthede om te beweeg gedurende die eerste lewensjaar is ook iets wat nie misgekyk moet word nie. Dit kan wees as gevolg van 'n mediese rede waar die baba dalk 'n been gebreek het of hy het oormatige refluks gehad wat hom verhoed het om baie magie-tyd te doen.  Dit strek egter ook tot die beperking van beweging a.g.v die oormatige gebruik van loopringe, babastoeltjies, ‘playpens’ of ‘jolly jumpers’ is.  Selfs ‘swaddling’ na 8 weke of slaap in 'n motorstoeltjie kan dieselfde effek hê.

Laastens is die klere van die baba en die fisiese omgewing soos die vloer, alles dinge wat 'n invloed op die baba se beweging het. Moet ook nie die effek van skermtyd in ons hedendaagse samelewing vergeet nie.

Die Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie (WGO) beveel aan dat babas onder die ouderdom van 1 jaar glad nie enige skermtyd toegelaat word nie. Hulle beveel ook nie onaktiewe (passiewe) skermtyd aan vir babas tussen 1 en 2 jaar oud nie.  Vir diegene van 2 jaar en ouer, moet onaktiewe (passiewe) skermtyd nie meer as 1 uur per dag wees nie; minder is beter.

Reflekse en premature babas

Dit word in die algemeen in die mediese gemeenskap erken dat die sterk bestaan of herverskyning van primitiewe reflekse na die ouderdom van 12 maande, abnormaal is.  Maar voordat jy onnodig bekommerd is oor 'n kind se ontwikkeling, neem asseblief kennis van die volgende belangrike uitsondering – vroeggebore babas!  As 'n baba te vroeg gebore was, moet jy dit in gedagte hou wanneer jy na die tydlyn kyk met betrekking tot die integrasie van sy reflekse. 

Onthou, vroeggebore babas het wel ekstra tyd nodig om hul maats in te haal. Hulle is te vroeg gebore en het nie genoeg tyd in die baarmoeder deurgebring nie.  Hulle is dus 'n bietjie agter en benodig nog 'n paar weke in hul algehele ontwikkeling, in vergelyking met 'n voltermyn baba.   

Om te bepaal hoeveel weke van grasie hulle nodig het met hulle ontwikkeling, kan jy hul gekorrigeerde ouderdom bereken.  Dit is die aangepaste chronologiese ouderdom waar jy die tyd aftrek wat 'n baba vroeg gebore is. 

Kom ons neem Petrus as voorbeeld.  Hy word op 28 weke gebore.  Dit beteken dat hy 12 weke te vroeg is.  Alhoewel hy tans 4 maande oud is (chronologies), is hy in werklikheid net 1 maand oud in 'gekorrigeerde ouderdom'. Dit beteken dat hy 'n bykomende 3 maande of 12 weke se grasie nodig het met die integrasie van sy reflekse. 

Hierdie aanpassing word slegs gebruik totdat 'n vroeggebore baba 1-jaar gekorrigeerde ouderdom bereik. Teen hierdie tyd moes hy die meeste van sy ontwikkelingsmylpale ingehaal het. Onthou ook dat kinders teen hul eie, unieke pas ontwikkel.  Dus, as 'n kind op ‘n gelyke vlak is met die res van sy algehele ontwikkeling, moenie te veel bekommerd wees oor 1 of 2 primitiewe reflekse wat nog aktief kan wees naby sy eerste verjaardag nie.

Finale gedagtes en aanbeveling

Die sterk bestaan ​​of herverskyning van primitiewe reflekse na die ouderdom van 1 jaar moet deur die kind se Pediater nagegaan word.  Afhangende van die tipe reflekse wat nog teenwoordig is, kan hierdie reflekse 'n kind se motoriese ontwikkeling baie nadelig beinvloed.

Aktiewe primitiewe reflekse en die vertraging van posturale reflekse word dikwels ook geassosieer met ontwikkelingsuitdagings soos disleksie, dispraksia, hiperaktiwiteit of outisme. Verder het navorsing getoon dat sommige ontwikkelende kinders aktiewe primitiewe reflekse soos die ATNR kan hê. 

Die integrasie van reflekse vereis die professionele ingryping van 'n opgeleide Fisioterapeut, Arbeidsterapeut of enige ander Pediatriese professionele persoon wat in refleksintegrasie spesialiseer.  Hulle het almal 'n graad sowel as bykomende gevorderde opleiding en is meer as bevoeg om 'n kind te help met refleksintegrasie of ernstige neuro-motoriese agterstande.

Indien jy bekommerd is oor jou kind se ontwikkeling, is jy welkom om ons praktyk te kontak vir meer inligting oor reflekse en hoe ons jou kind moontlik kan help via 'n reeks oefeninge wag gedoen kan word.  Alternatiewelik sal ons jou kan bystaan om die mees geskikte professionele persoon  te kontak, wat jou kind sal kan help om sy of haar volle potensiaal te bereik.

Tot volgende keer,

Gelukkige geseende bewegingsoomblikke saam met jou kind!