Practice for Movement

Primary Reflexes

Primary Reflexes are not diseases or disorders, but very useful movements for a baby in the making. They develop in the womb. These reflexes help the baby to respond to stimuli. At birth, they help the baby move through the birth canal and stretch out of its fetal position. They are also needed, for example, for his first breath and for feeling skin contact.

All people have Primary Reflexes that, if all goes well, come under control during the first year of life. This means that under normal circumstances they will no longer be triggered or disturb other activities. Once triggered, Primary Reflexes will be given priority in the body. This interrupts all other activities. You can't stop them.

When Primary Reflexes are not inhibited

Sometimes Primary Reflexes are not or only partially inhibited. People will then develop certain behavioural patterns in order to function normally. The body is very smart and can bypass all kinds of difficult things. This compensational activity usually happens unconsciously and it takes a lot of energy without you knowing it. Some of this behaviour, such as an outburst of anger, seem at first sight to have nothing to do with disturbing reflexes. Children get stuck if they cannot participate at school within the set rules. Sometimes they receive medication, diagnoses, or extra exercises that unfortunately do not solve anything because the cause is not addressed. Adults can suffer from recurring complaints or chronic complaints despite exercises or therapy, or suddenly suffer from a burnout.

Uninhibited Primary Reflexes leave no area untouched in the human organism. This is why there are very many different symptoms that can be caused by unrestrained Primary Reflexes. For each reflex you can read what kind of behavior or complaints have to do with it. Primary Reflexes can reappear in people who had them inhibited properly and remain present unrestrained when:

Uninhibited Primary Reflexes are often passed on genetically. Events during the period in the womb also influence the development of Primary Reflexes. If the mother herself suffers from uninhibited Primary Reflexes, and her brain releases "incorrect" stimuli that cause neurotransmitter and hormone activity, this becomes the blueprint for the growing fetus.

The causes for impeded inhibition of Primary Reflexes can in fact occur at any time in a person's life.