Primitive reflexes are innate movements patterns all babies do in the first stages of life. Theses reflexes serve their purpose in development and fall away when they are not needed anymore. Persistence of reflexes can cause a variety of problems later in life. This study shows that children with ADHD consistently have higher persistence of some primitive reflexes. This indicates that ADHD symptoms may actually be due to unfinished developmental stages related to diminishing reflexes.
Often times when a child is experiencing difficulties learning to read or has been diagnosed with Dyslexia, there are other problems that may be evident: Motor control and balance. This is related to persistent primitive reflexes. This study examines the use of movement intervention to inhibit the reflex. The study group participating in movement patterns demonstrated a significant decrease in persistence of the reflex. They also showed improvements in visual movement patterns following the use of the program.