Kids not sitting still? Squirming? Seems like they’re ready to crawl out of their own skin?
This could be caused, or partially contributed by retained primitive reflexes, particularly the Spinal Galant Reflex. Check out more info on Primitive reflexes here: https://hmlfunctionalcare.com/neuro-development-101/
This Primitive Reflex, amongst others are necessary to show up to help build motor function. Motor function builds brain function, and brain function is what gives rise to the four big categories that we all want our kids to do well in – academics (cognition), behavior, social skills, and physical fitness.
The Spinal Galant Reflex is a motor reflex that is present in utero and is supposed to go away (integrate) at 4-6 months of age. It shows up to get the child’s torso musculature – their lumbar paraspinal and oblique abdominal muscles to fire to make them move and wiggle to aid in the birthing process.
One way that this reflex never integrates is if the child is born via C-section. C-sections are very necessary in a lot of situations to safely birth our children; however, one downside is that the Spinal Galant reflex may never form or integrate. Primitive Reflexes may not integrate due to a lack of neurological development. Neurological development is a beautiful, complex interaction between our genetics and environment.
Genetics and environment bring up a good topic – epigenetics. The following can be applied to most, if not all diseases and disorders. Epigenetics is the study of the expression of our genes. Our genes are our building blocks to all bodily cells, tissues, and functions. Think of our genes like a blueprint to a house. If the blueprint is exposed to a good contractor (environment), you will have a good house (brain and body). If the blueprints are exposed to a bad contractor, then you can guess what happens…
85% of our children’s genes work to build the brain, and only absolutely perfect environments providing the best nutrition, best social interactions, physical exercise, and cognitive challenges will raise the “perfect kid.” As parents we will do all that we can to provide the best environments for our kids and our kid’s genes will do their best, too! Sometimes there just needs to be a specialist to come in and read the blue prints to bring on specific therapies such as ; https://hmlfunctionalcare.com/functional-neurology/, https://hmlfunctionalcare.com/functional-medicine/, and https://hmlfunctionalcare.com/chiropractic-care/ to give those blue prints just what they need to build that house!
And at HML, that is exactly what we focus on! By examining the child and addressing the area(s) in the brain and body involved with fidgety behaviors and by running customized sensory/motor exercises to get those areas of the brain working better. This may entail specific primitive reflex integration exercises. This may entail gross motor exercises; it may also entail vestibular exercises. What we find ourselves doing is really all of the above, or a combination thereof, and that’s because each house is different, and needs its own contractor reading the blueprints!