Don't we have to break up primitive and abnormal reflexes before children can learn to move?

The traditional approach to primitive and abnormal reflexes has come into question in several studies. Karl and Bertha Bobath (in Scrutton, 1984) no longer include tonic neck and tonic labyrinthine reflexes in their assessment of children. They found that they had grossly overrated those reflexes in explaining the abnormal patterns of the hypertonic child.

According to Bax, 1986, abnormal reflexes, primitive responses, and muscle tone are the result of the current cerebral pathology of the student. Any changes over time are probably due to a natural developmental process rather than to any mediation by a therapist or medication given to the student.

Bax also suggested that therapists who compare the failure to inhibit a persistent asymmetric tonic neck reflex with the prevention of a dislocated hip in the wind-swept child syndrome, will understand the importance of changing the orientation of therapy from clinical treatments to providing skills leading to a productive life.

In other words, if a reflex can be "broken up," then it was a habitual movement pattern rather than a true reflex. If it cannot be "broken up," then the student needs to learn how to work and move without being a slave to the motor dysfunction. Regardless of the etiology of the movement patterns, the therapist can help a student perform functional activities such as eating, while learning appropriate movement patterns.