As parents, we often focus on our child’s behaviors—meltdowns, impulsivity, trouble focusing, emotional outbursts, or challenges with learning. But behavior is really just a window into what’s happening inside the brain. When you understand why a behavior is showing up, the “what to do about it” becomes so much clearer. At Brain Connex Therapy, we always tell parents: Your child isn’t giving you a hard time—their brain is having a hard time.

If your child struggles with focus, coordination, handwriting, or emotional regulation, it might not be a behavioral issue—it could be a developmental one. Primitive reflexes are automatic movements babies are born with to help them survive and develop during the first year of life. These reflexes should “integrate” as the brain matures and higher centers take over. When they don’t, they can interfere with movement, attention, learning, and behavior. The good news? These reflexes can be tested and addressed through specific exercises that support brain and body development.

Our brain is beautifully designed with two hemispheres — the right and the left — that work together to help us move, think, feel, and connect. But in healthy development, these two sides don’t grow at the same rate. The right hemisphere develops first, laying the foundation for emotional regulation, body awareness, sensory processing, and nonverbal communication. Only later does the left hemisphere mature, bringing in the skills of logic, language, and structured learning. When development happens in this natural order, the two hemispheres form a balanced partnership. But when one side—often the left—takes over too soon or too strongly, it can create challenges in attention, emotional regulation, and social interaction. This imbalance is often seen in children with autism, ADHD, learning difficulties, and sensory processing issues.

You’ve probably seen it — a child who always slouches, leans on things, or seems to melt into their chair. You might think it’s just “bad posture” or laziness, but what if it’s actually a sign that their brainstem isn’t fully developed or integrated?

Have you ever noticed your child tripping often, avoiding sports, or struggling to sit still and focus during schoolwork? Maybe they seem “clumsy,” have a hard time catching a ball, or even feel anxious in busy environments. What may surprise you is that these behaviors are often connected to something much deeper — the visual, vestibular, and balance systems, and how they interact with the brain’s early reflex patterns. These systems form the foundation for how a child experiences and interacts with the world. When one or more are underdeveloped or “out of sync,” it can ripple into challenges with learning, attention, emotional regulation, and social skills.

Primitive reflexes have become a hot topic in parenting, education, and therapy circles — and for good reason. These automatic movements lay the foundation for motor skills, learning, and emotional regulation. But as awareness grows, so do the myths and misunderstandings. Let’s set the record straight and clear up some of the most common misconceptions about primitive reflexes and reflex integration.