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Tag: ADHD

Reflex

Primitive Reflexes

Primative Reflexes- The Good, The Bad, The Better!

Have you ever tripped and simultaneously reached out your hands to stop the fall? That is your primitive reflexes at work! They are essential as the first line of defense to protect ourselves but they can also be detrimental to our development.

What are primitive reflexes? 

Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor responses present at infancy that facilitate survival. Pediatricians check these reflexes at wellness visits to ensure the nervous system is working properly. It is important that these reflexes are present but it is just as important that these reflexes mature or integrate in early childhood. 

The Good: 

REFLEX

GOOD

Moro Reflex

The startle reflex

A fear response to sudden movements or noise
Hands PullingHead control reflex and the ability to contract our muscles to sit up
Hands SupportingOur falling reflex. Ability to reach out and catch yourself.
Tonic Labyrinthine (TLR)Develops balance and spatial awareness
STNRHead, limbs and balance system connection
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR):  Differentiates our left and right side.
Spinal GalantConnects the trunk and lower body
AmphibianActivates nerves between both hemispheres of the brain
Babinski:Supports mature walking and balance
BabkinTongue and mouth coordination for eating and speaking
PlantarProtective response to provide stability
PalmarAdvances fine motor movements of fingers.
Landau Promotes ability to control head in tummy time

Why do reflexes need to integrate?

We unconsciously use these reflexes everyday, but what happens when we are unable to consciously control them? That’s what happens when reflexes don’t integrate. It’s like being in a self driving car and not being able to take control of the wheel, which can be very scary. Sometimes our reflexes do not mature because of abnormal movement patterns in utero or infancy, neurological deficits, or just unknown reasons. These primitive neuro connections are powerful and can inhibit our ability to voluntarily control our body and mind if they are retained.

How do reflexes affect development?

A retained reflex can present in strange ways causing possible behavioral, emotional, sensory and physical deficts. Not all reflexes present the same way in every person but they do have common patterns. The infant’s movements work together in sequence during development. If one reflex does not integrate it can cause others to also be retained. It is not uncommon to see two, three, or almost all the reflexes present during a primitive reflex evaluation. The following are common traits you might see if reflexes are retained.   

The Bad- Unintegrated Primative Reflexes

REFLEX

GOOD

BAD

Moro Reflex

The startle reflex

A fear response to sudden movements or noise
  • Anxiety
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Insecure
  • Sensitive to light
  • Sound and/or touch
  • Emotional
  • Common in toe walkers 
Hands PullingHead control reflex and the ability to contract our muscles to sit up
  • Poor muscle tone
  • Poor hand, eye, and mouth coordination
  • Delayed gross and fine motor movements 
Hands SupportingOur falling reflex. Ability to reach out and catch yourself.
  • Clumsy
  • Poor personal boundaries
  • Aggressive
  • Avoids interactions
  • Difficulty processing information
Tonic Labyrinthine (TLR)Develops balance and spatial awareness
  • Motion sickness
  • Poor sense of time and organizational skills
  • Coordination difficulty
  • Spatial and balance problem
STNRHead, limbs and balance system connection
  • Crawling difficulty
  • Low muscle tone
  • Slumps while seated
  • Difficulty copying tasks
  • Poor attention
  • W sits 
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR):  Differentiates our left and right side.
  • Challenged with crossing midline
  • Difficulty catching
  • Focus and memory difficulty
  • Auditory challenges
  • Dyslexia
Spinal GalantConnects the trunk and lower body
  • Postural deficits
  • Hip rotation effecting gait
  • Hyperactive
  • Fatigues with cognitive functions
  • Bed wetting
AmphibianActivates nerves between both hemispheres of the brain
  • Rigid movements
  • Limited stride length
  • Poor coordination
  • No rotational movement
  • No hand dominance
Babinski:Supports mature walking and balance
  • Tripping
  • Stabilizes with tongue
  • Oral motor and articulation deficits
  • Flat feet
  • Walks on toes or sides of feet 
BabkinTongue and mouth coordination for eating and speaking
  • Open mouth posture
  • Poor mouth coordination
  • Lacks facial expression
  • Speech delay
  • Sensory chewer 
PlantarProtective response to provide stability
  • Grasping hands
  • Poor running/jumping
  • One sided crawl
  • Standing delay
  • Fight/flight response to loss of balance.
PalmarAdvances fine motor movements of fingers. 
Landau Promotes ability to control head in tummy time
  • Poor posture
  • Clumsy
  • High tone in legs
  • Visual challenges
  • Depression and fears
  • Poor focus and balance

 

The Better: 

It is extremely common to have one or more reflexes present and you might even identify some of these traits in yourself. That does not mean it needs to be treated unless the reflex is so dominant that it interferes with the ability to learn, be safe and thrive. Reflex therapy helps to identify and create an individualized reflex exercise program to promote integration. The brain responds by taking the wheel and improves control over it’s own mind and body. Now that’s better!

 

If you think your child may have primitive reflexes present we can help! Free primitive reflex screenings are available via Zoom or in person at our Orland Park or Naperville/Aurora locations. 

Virtual Feeding Therapy

Virtual Feeding Therapy

Get Started From the Comfort of Your Own Home

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Benefits of Virtual Feeding Therapy

  • Therapy in natural (home) environment
  • Increased opportunity for family participation (siblings, parents, grandparents, caregivers)
  • Sessions can be held during family mealtimes to help with the successful implementation of treatment strategies
  • Access to food at home for preferred and non-preferred food
  • Less travel and time
  • Both direct therapy and parent coaching for carryover
  • Education on seating and environmental modifications to assist with mealtime success
  • Education on preparatory postural control and stability exercises
  • Opportunity to bake and prepare food in home environment

Cooking

breastfeeding

Breast & Bottle Feeding

Infant bottle and breastfeeding

One-on-one virtual breast and bottle feeding lactation support services from the comfort of your own home.

  • Baby’s success on the breast/bottle
  • Mom’s health and comfort
  • Family support for mom & baby
  • Preparing for and maximizing pumping
  • Reflux, spit-up, vomiting support 
  • Maximizing position and latch
  • Finding the right bottle
  • Tummy troubles and gas

baby food

Table Food Transitions

Transition to Table Foods

Transition to table foods can be tricky.  Whether you are starting purees, baby led weaning, or a combination of the two, we are here to support you and your baby.  

  • Transition to table food
  • Learn to drink from straw & open cups
  • Learning to chew & swallow safely
  • Decrease gagging
  • Pacifier elimination
  • Navigate food intolerances, sensitivities & allergies

Feeding Therapy

Kids & Teens

Toddlers to Teens

Together, you and your BDI therapists will create goals functional to your family by incorporating food you have in your home or food your family eats in the community.

  • Teach your child to tolerate, interact with, and eat foods of varying textures and consistences from the comfort of their own home.   
  • Increase oral motor strength and coordination
  • Improve safe swallowing
  • Decrease length of meals
  • Eating food at restaurants
  • Address lunch and snack time challenges at school
  • Meals with friends
  • Utilize feeding therapy techniques such as OMT, Food Chaining, SOS, AEIOU, & Beckman Oral Motor Approach to help your child eat the least restrictive diet!

Who provides treatment for my child?

telehealth

Speech Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists at BDI Playhouse are licensed and trained to:

  • turn mealtime into positive experiences
  • increase oral motor strength and coordination
  • teach your child to tolerate, interact with, or eat foods of varying textures and consistencies
  • address cup, straw, and bottle drinking
  • intake enough calories a day for growth and nutrition
  • utilize specialized techniques such as Beckman Oral Motor Approach, OMT, Food Chaining & Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach
  • target effective use of utensils
  • coach and provide resources to families so they can help your child overcome these mealtime obstacles

Why should my child get feeding therapy?

Research has shown that difficulties with eating and poor nutrition can cause:

  • stunted growth correlated with poor academic performance and lowered mental capacity
  • emotional and psychological development issues
  • a decrease in a child’s activity level, social interactions, and curiosity

telehealth

What does an evaluation look like?

baby eating

The evaluating clinician will discuss with you any concerns you may have for your child, pertinent medical history, and the reason why your child was referred for their evaluation. The rest of the evaluation depends greatly on your child’s age and specific needs. The clinician will assess your child’s current feeding skill level and address any areas of difficulty during this evaluation.

If feeding therapy is recommended, individual therapy sessions may occur on a consultative basis or on a weekly basis.  You and the evaluating therapist will decide on goals and location (clinic or virtual) of services.

Find Answers & Get Started

Still not sure? Learn more about what to expect at a screening here.

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Reflex Integration

Reflex Integration

What are reflexes?

Reflexes are automatic responses that occur out of someone’s control in response to an external stimulus or facilitated movement.  Reflexes are necessary automatic movements that are essential for survival as a baby and are what helps a baby develop movement. 

Each reflex is present and integrated at different parts of development.  An example is the rooting reflex, when the baby’s cheek is stroked the baby will turn their head in the direction of the stimulus and open their mouth automatically. This reflex allows the baby to find their mother’s breast and is essential for feeding.  This reflex will usually integrate around 4 months of age once the infant starts to develop volitional control and has learned how to respond IND when they smell, feel and see mother’s breast.  

Unintegrated Reflexes

Reflexes can become problematic when they are delayed or unintegrated. In the case of the rooting reflex, if it is not present at birth it can impact IND feeding response or if present after feeding can impact speech, eating, and response to facial touching.  Common things you might see in your child if this reflex is not integrated include trouble pronouncing words, difficult breaking thumb sucking, messy eatering, or has poor tolerance to kissing or touching their face. 

Unintegrated Reflex Red Flags

There are many reflexes and each has a vital role and can have a huge impact on development if delayed or not integrated at the right time.  Some of the red flags to look for include

  • difficulty or delayed gross motor skills
  • difficulty or delayed fine motor skills
  • emotional lability
  • poor tolerance to new situations
  • difficulty with learning/writing
  • poor vision
  • poor attention
  • bed wetting
  • difficulty with potty training
  • abnormal muscle tone
  • poor tolerance to certain movements.

Next Steps

If you have any of these concerns you should try physical and/or occupational therapy to perform movements that are designed to help with reflex integration.  In addition, your therapist will be able to work on the functional or emotional skills your child is having difficulty with to improve their IND and participation.

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Feeding Therapy

Feeding Therapy

Clinic or Virtual Feeding Sessions Available

to learn more about our virtual feeding therapy visit our website here

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Picky Eaters and Problem Feeders

Your child might be a picky eater or problem feeder if your child:

Picky Eating

  • eats less than thirty foods
  • refuses foods of certain textures, temperatures, or colors
  • excessive crying or tantrums at mealtime
  • declines an entire category of food (i.e. veggies)
  • eats the same food over and over
  • becomes distraught when new foods are on the plate
  • has difficulty nursing or bottle feeding or have a history of early feeding difficulties
  • struggles to maintain a healthy weight
  • fills up on junk food
  • gags, coughs, or vomits during meals

Infant Trouble

Infant Bottle & Breastfeeding

One-on-one virtual breast and bottle feeding lactation support services from the comfort of your own home.

  • Baby’s success on the breast/bottle
  • Mom’s health and comfort
  • Family support for mom & baby
  • Preparing for and maximizing pumping
  • Reflux, spit-up, vomiting support 
  • Maximizing position and latch
  • Finding the right bottle
  • Tummy troubles and gas

baby food

Transition to Table Foods

Transition to table foods can be tricky.  Whether you are starting purees, baby led weaning, or a combination of the two, we are here to support you and your baby.  

  • Transition to table food
  • Learn to drink from straw & open cups
  • Learning to chew & swallow safely
  • Decrease gagging
  • Pacifier elimination
  • Navigate food intolerances, sensitivities & allergies

Feeding Therapy

Toddlers to Teens

Together, you and your BDI therapists will create goals functional to your family by incorporating food you have in your home or food your family eats in the community.

  • Teach your child to tolerate, interact with, and eat foods of varying textures and consistences from the comfort of their own home.   
  • Increase oral motor strength and coordination
  • Improve safe swallowing
  • Decrease length of meals
  • Eating food at restaurants
  • Address lunch and snack time challenges at school
  • Meals with friends
  • Utilize feeding therapy techniques such as OMT, Food Chaining, SOS, AEIOU, & Beckman Oral Motor Approach to help your child eat the least restrictive diet! 

Who provides treatment for my child?

Speech Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists at BDI Playhouse are licensed and trained to:

  • turn mealtime into positive experiences
  • increase oral motor strength and coordination
  • teach your child to tolerate, interact with, or eat foods of varying textures and consistencies
  • address cup, straw, and bottle drinking
  • intake enough calories a day for growth and nutrition
  • utilize specialized techniques such as Beckman Oral Motor Approach, OMT, Food Chaining & Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach
  • target effective use of utensils
  • coach and provide resources to families so they can help your child overcome these mealtime obstacles

Table Eating

Why should my child get feeding therapy?

telehealth

Research has shown that difficulties with eating and poor nutrition can cause:

  • stunted growth correlated with poor academic performance and lowered mental capacity
  • emotional and psychological development issues
  • a decrease in a child’s activity level, social interactions, and curiosity

What does an evaluation look like?

The initial portion of a feeding evaluation will be done virtually.  The evaluating clinician will discuss with you any concerns you may have for your child, pertinent medical history, and the reason why your child was referred for their evaluation. The rest of the evaluation depends greatly on your child’s age and specific needs. The clinician will assess your child’s current feeding skill level and address any areas of difficulty during this evaluation.

If feeding therapy is recommended, individual therapy sessions may occur on a consultative basis or on a weekly basis.  You and the evaluating therapist will decide on goals and location (clinic or virtual) of services.

telehealth

Questions about Picky Eating or Feeding Concerns?

[receiver]

708-478-1820

[mail]

info@bdiplayhouse.com

Find Answers & Get Started

Continue reading