What is a Retained Neonatal Reflex?
In the womb and in early life, when the decision making process has not fully developed, your brainstem has several reflexes called ‘primitive’ or ‘neonatal’ reflexes. They help you to grow properly and safely. For example, they help you in the birthing process, breast feeding and gripping onto things. As you mature these reflexes are no longer needed so they take a ‘back seat’ and the higher brain takes control. This is an essential and normal stage of your development, allowing you to perform the more complex tasks required in classroom learning, movement control and social interactions. However, due to birth trauma or developmental restrictions these reflexes might remain dominant. This means that your nervous system will automatically react inappropriately and undesirably in certain situations. This will adversely affect your development, learning and behaviour. This is a Retained Neonatal Reflex.
Using specific RNR techniques founded by Keith Keen DC, we can assist in the integration of these reflexes that could be holding your bright children back.