Development during our first weeks, months, and years relies heavily on our reflexes. Reflexes are congenital behavioral patterns that enable us to understand stimuli and respond appropriately. An example is a stimulus on the cheek that will direct an infant to turn its head to that side to nurse. We don’t learn these essential patterns, they are genetically coded into the framework of our lower Brain and Central Nervous System, and they are initiated by sensory stimulation alone. As we develop, these reflexive responses blend into the toolkit of our higher cognitive functions. However, they persist as the foundation which the acquisition of skill rests upon.
When age is counted in months, the reflexes play a primary role in understanding and development. They are the origin of intentional movement. For example. when the stimulus is provided to the outside of an infant’s foot, the big toe should flex towards the head. This is an indicator of how well the child will master crawling, as it is necessary to get the bottom of the big toe on the ground to propel oneself forward. Success in crawling leads to the development of coordination between the left and right sides of the body, gross motor coordination, and intentional movements. Likewise, stimulus to the palm initiates a grasp reflex response which develops into gross and fine motor skills for the hands which include differentiated, controlled, and goal-orientated movements.
Evaluation of the qualities of a reflex pattern, its direction, timing, and strength, can help determine the types of challenges a child will encounter as they grow. Reflexes designed to respond to fearful stimuli, either through fight/flight or freezing, when incompletely matured can result in attention and hyperactivity issues, hormone imbalances, and a host of other disturbances that influence cognitive and emotional development and even growth rates. Reflexes designed to integrate hand-eye co-ordination are the foundation of future skills needed for learning, including writing, counting and near/far vision focus. Insufficiencies in the direction, timing, and strength of a reflex pattern are compensated for by higher-level brain functions. These adaptations can be very successful, but carry the stress of a workaround, and can last a lifetime.
Ongoing European and US Clinical research conducted by Dr. Svetlana Masgutova has established that we can train (re-pattern) poor-performing reflex patterns. Training requires repetitious modeling of the genetically intended muscular response for a specific stimulus. The stimulus is provided, and then the body is guided through the ensuing correct pattern. As the brain comes to understand the appropriate response, skills that hinge on that intrinsic pattern gain proficiency. It is something like consolidating the foundation of a structure. The results for both children and adults can be impressive, and even older children and adults acquire new potential, sometimes with dramatic results.
Training strengthens the brain’s ability to process sensory information and to effectively respond, in the same way that physical exercise strengthens muscles for grasping and standing. Invigorating these stimulus/response patterns which are essential to our well-being translates to greater confidence, curiosity, learning, and the acquisition of mechanical and intellectual skills. The spectrum of challenges children are confronted with, from Cerebral Palsy, severe Autism, genetic disorders, debilitating OCD and PTSD as well as attention and hyperactivity disorders and many others, all respond to this type of therapy. With intensive work, it is common for a child to begin to change quickly and for change to continue indefinitely. Effectively responding to stimuli creates a sense of safety and competency which is the foundation for developing to full potential.