- May 23, 2025
How Integrating Primitive Reflexes Unlocks Higher Brain Function for Learning, Speech, and Motor Skills
When it comes to child development, few concepts are as foundational—and often overlooked—as primitive reflexes. These automatic movements, present from birth, are crucial for survival in infancy. But what happens when they persist beyond their developmental window? Or worse, what if they never fully integrated into the nervous system? The consequences can impact everything from learning and language to motor coordination and emotional regulation.
In this post, we’ll explore how developing and integrating primitive reflexes supports the growth of higher brain functions and offer real-world examples of how addressing these reflexes can dramatically improve a child's (or adult’s) capabilities.
What Are Primitive Reflexes?
Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor responses originating in the brainstem that help infants survive and develop in their early months. Some common reflexes include:
Moro Reflex (startle reflex)
Rooting Reflex (helps baby find the nipple)
Palmar Grasp Reflex
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)
Spinal Galant Reflex
Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)
These reflexes are meant to emerge in utero and during infancy, then be integrated (inhibited) as the brain matures—typically within the first year of life. When primitive reflexes are active, the brain is wired for survival—not learning. These reflexes are controlled by the brainstem, the most primitive part of the brain. As development progresses, control of movement, sensory processing, and cognition shifts upward in the brain hierarchy to the midbrain, limbic system, and finally the cerebral cortex.
Proper integration of primitive reflexes is like clearing the scaffolding after a building is constructed—it allows for efficient use of higher-level brain functions without interference.
Why Integration Matters for Higher Brain Function
Primitive reflexes are controlled by the most basic part of the brain: the brainstem. For higher-level areas like the cortex (responsible for thinking, speech, planning, and voluntary movement) to function optimally, the lower-level reflexes must be properly integrated. Otherwise, the brain is essentially "stuck" operating in survival mode.
When primitive reflexes remain active:
Learning can be impaired because the body is distracted by involuntary movements.
Speech and language development can lag due to poor coordination of oral muscles and delayed sensory processing.
Motor skills may be clumsy or uncoordinated because the brain is busy compensating for automatic reflex movements.
Focus and emotional regulation become difficult, since the child remains in a reactive state.
Brain Hierarchy in Developmental Terms
Brainstem (primitive reflexes) → must quiet down
Midbrain (coordination, sensory integration) → becomes more active
Limbic system (emotions) → starts to regulate
Prefrontal cortex (executive function, language, planning) → can now fully develop
If lower levels are noisy or underdeveloped, higher levels cannot function effectively.
Here’s how this integration supports specific areas of higher brain function:
1. Cognitive Development & Executive Function
Integration effect: When reflexes are inhibited, the prefrontal cortex—the center for executive function—can come online. This allows for focus, impulse control, working memory, and problem-solving.
Without integration: A retained Moro reflex, for instance, keeps a child in a heightened state of startle and stress. The constant fight-or-flight response prevents calm, focused thinking and disrupts the learning process.
Example: Children with retained reflexes may be labeled as having ADHD when the core issue is actually poor reflex integration. Once addressed, their ability to concentrate, organize, and regulate emotions dramatically improves.
2. Language and Speech Development
Integration effect: Proper control of facial muscles, jaw stability, and tongue movement (all influenced by reflexes like Rooting, Sucking, and Tonic Neck Reflexes) allows clear articulation and verbal fluency. These motor functions support the brain's language centers, such as Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area.
Without integration: Retained oral reflexes can lead to speech delays, articulation issues, and poor oral motor control—affecting both expressive and receptive language development.
Example: A child struggling with speech might be dealing with an unintegrated Palmar Reflex, which affects fine motor control—including the tongue and jaw—since early hand-mouth sensory development is deeply linked.
3. Motor Coordination and Physical Skills
Integration effect: Reflexes like the ATNR, Spinal Galant, and TLR need to be fully integrated for the cerebellum (motor coordination) and basal ganglia (movement regulation) to function optimally. This improves posture, balance, coordination, and fine/gross motor skills.
Without integration: Children may appear clumsy, have difficulty catching a ball, ride a bike late, or tire quickly due to inefficient movement patterns that stem from retained primitive responses.
Example: A child who walks on their toes or trips frequently may have an active TLR or Spinal Galant Reflex. Once integrated through targeted movement therapy, motor efficiency and confidence improve dramatically.
4. Sensory Processing and Emotional Regulation
Integration effect: The integration of primitive reflexes helps regulate the limbic system (the emotional brain) and allows the sensory system to filter and process incoming information effectively. This is crucial for a calm, well-modulated response to sensory input.
Without integration: Sensory defensiveness, meltdowns, or emotional outbursts can occur due to an overwhelmed nervous system that can’t properly process stimuli.
Example: A child who reacts intensely to sound, light, or touch may have retained reflexes causing a hypersensitive stress response. Once these reflexes are integrated, their threshold for stimulation increases, allowing for more balanced emotional responses.
5. Learning and Academic Skills
Integration effect: Reading, writing, and math require complex coordination between sensory input, motor control, and cognitive processing. Once primitive reflexes are out of the way, the brain can perform these tasks more efficiently.
Without integration: Children may struggle with letter formation, visual tracking while reading, or maintaining focus during schoolwork—all of which trace back to retained reflexes.
Example: A retained ATNR can prevent a child from crossing the midline of their body, a skill required to read across a page or write with one hand while stabilizing the paper with the other.
How to Support Reflex Integration
Early Movement Matters: Activities like crawling, tummy time, and play are vital. Avoid overuse of devices that restrict natural movement (like bouncers or tablets).
Developmental Screenings: Occupational therapists, neurodevelopmental specialists, and certain chiropractors can assess for retained reflexes.
Movement & Sensory-Based Programs: Techniques like we use in Brain Connex Therapy, derived from the Melillo Method™, that combine both movement-based integration techniques with sensory integration create the most efficient improvements in the brain.
Parent Involvement: At-home programs can be utilized, like our INTEGRATE program highlighted below, to stay consistent and ensure integration happens quickly.
Conclusion: The Brain Builds Bottom-Up
Primitive reflex integration isn't just about movement—it's about laying the neurological groundwork for higher learning and self-regulation. It's a bottom-up process. When we ensure the foundational systems of the brain are solid and fully matured, we unlock the potential of the whole child—from clearer speech and smoother movement to sharper thinking and better emotional control.
Whether you're a parent, educator, or therapist, understanding and addressing these reflexes can be transformative—not just for children, but for adults who may still carry the remnants of early developmental interruptions.