Spotlight on the ATNR: Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex
Primitive Reflexes are present in Babies at birth. They help you grow and develop. As your brain grows and matures, these reflexes are turned off or inhibited to allow the higher brain to take control. However, birth trauma, stress, developmental restrictions, exposure to chemicals, toxic metals and even mould can allow these reflexes to remain dominant. This can in turn affect optimal development and functioning of the brain hemispheres, leading to potential issues in social, learning, behaviour and movement.
If these reflexes are not inhibited by age one, they will not go away on their Own. You must MOVE specifically to cue the brain to inhibit these reflexes. It takes work, energy and a little bit of time to stimulate theses reflexes to get them inhibited but the rewards and change in learning, behaviour and movement can be life changing!
What does it do?
In the early months the ATNR locks the babies vision on to things that captures his/her attention, and is present at birth. when a newborn turns their head to one side, the arm and leg on that side straighten, while the opposite side flexes to shorten. Essentially the their hand will move with their head. This connection between touch, sight nd vision helps to establish distance perception and hand-eye co-ordination. The ATNR inhibits (turned off) by 6 months of age.
ATNR retention may cause:
Hand-eye co-ordination issues (catching and throwing balls)
Easily distracted by anything that catches his/her gaze
Poor Handwriting
Poor visual tracking for reading and writing
Poor comprehension
Integrating and using the two sides of the body at the same time may be poor
Trouble crossing the vertical midline
Balance issues and poor judgement of distance, clumsy
Paying attention will be challenging
Recurrent Neck and shoulder issues
Exercises / Movement to Inhibit the ATNR
To inhibit this reflex, You must stimulate it up to 2-3 times per day:
Simply March on the spot (x10) with the head turned far to the left and then to the right
Lizard exercise lying on the floor
Crawling forward with head turned Right and then Left
Bear crawling with head turns ( lift knees of the ground)
If you suspect you or child have a retained primitive reflex, Dr Lucy Lex and Zoe Braund can check during your next appointment and direct you on a home exercises to get your nervous system in Peak condition.
