top of page
Search

Primary reflexes and their influence on motor and speech development

Annotation

The development of motor skills, primary reflexes, and speech are interconnected. But how exactly? I work daily with children who have persistent primary reflexes. These children often experience difficulties at school (learning disabilities, attention deficits), motor issues (delays in gross motor skills, fine motor skills, graphomotor skills, and coordination), autistic-like symptoms, or speech development problems — the main focus of this article. I am committed to collaborating with speech therapists to provide the most comprehensive approach and care for children with these challenges. The goal of this article is to clearly and concisely explain the links between primary reflexes and the development of motor skills and speech. In the final section, I briefly mention intervention options that (clinical) speech therapists can incorporate into their speech therapy practice.


Keywords

Psychomotor development, speech development, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, primary reflexes, neuro-developmental therapy, neuro-developmental stimulation


Conclusion

From the above, it follows that the development of gross and fine motor skills is fundamental for the ability to communicate through speech. According to research conducted by Bilbilaj in 2017, 71.4% of children with delayed speech development also had persistent palmar reflex, TLR (tonic labyrinthine reflex), and sucking and rooting reflexes (Bilbilaj, 2017). It is therefore essential that even (clinical) speech therapists can identify persistent primary reflexes and have basic intervention skills to inhibit these reflexes.

Various methods are used worldwide to inhibit primary reflexes. The most well-known include Rhythmic RTM Training, the INPP Method, and the MNRI Method. In the Czech Republic, the most widely used approaches are Neuro-Developmental Stimulation (NVS) and Neuro-Developmental Therapy (NVT) (not to be confused with the term "neurodevelopmental therapy," which sometimes refers to a group of therapies like the Bobath approach or Handle therapy).

Neuro-Developmental Therapy (NVT) is a highly individualized therapy that combines the inhibition of primary reflexes with physiotherapy, special education, and sensory integration. NVT is used with children from around 3-4 years of age, but it is also effective in adults. The treatment is based on simple exercises, which often mimic movements triggered by primary reflexes to stimulate proper neural connections in the brain, allowing it to naturally inhibit these reflexes. The activity of persistent primary reflexes is thus naturally suppressed through exercise, thereby eliminating the related problems.

Neuro-Developmental Stimulation (NVS) is a program derived from Neuro-Developmental Therapy. NVS is primarily designed for (special needs) teachers, (clinical) speech therapists, and other professionals working with children with learning, behavioral, and communication disorders. The NVS program is adapted to the fact that these professionals may not have education in anatomy or kinesiology. The tests and exercises are structured in such a way that they can be effectively used with larger groups of children. I believe that Neuro-Developmental Therapy and Neuro-Developmental Stimulation can be successfully used, among other things, in the comprehensive rehabilitation of speech disorders.


Article Author: PhDr. Marja Volemanová, PhD.



Reference:VOLEMANOVÁ, M. Primary Reflexes and Their Impact on Motor Skills and Speech. Listy klinické logopedie, 1/2020. ISSN 2570-6179. Available at: https://casopis.aklcr.cz/magno/lkl/2020/mn1.php

Comments

bottom of page