In Vision Therapy we often hear the following question from patients or their loved ones: “What does this have to do with vision?” They are referring to physical activities like building core muscle tone and integrating primitive reflexes. Understanding how movement effects on our developing vision is important to understanding the developmental foundation of Vision Therapy.

Primitive reflexes are automated movements that are not initiated by conscious thought. They are a part of a child’s pre and postnatal development. Primitive reflexes are necessary for initiating specific movements during delivery and afterward for infant safety and survival. This is why they have been referred to as “primitive” reflexes. In ideal infant and child development the primitive reflexes fade, or become integrated, as the child develops more sophisticated sensory and motor functions. However, in some children they do not become integrated and persist.

Imagine a five year old child trying to catch a rubber ball and consistently missing the ball by trying to wrap their arms around it rather than using their hands to catch it. This often happens in children who do not integrate a reflex called symmetrical tonic neck reflex (STNR). This particular reflex is useful to an infant up to eight months and aides in crawling, a major developmental milestone. In this scenario, the reflex which initially aided in the child’s development has become a road block to optimal development by preventing the intended movements of the child when trying to catch a ball.

Vision develops in predictable stages and is predicated on a child’s movements; whether reaching for an object or moving their entire body in a given direction. It begins with the child putting things to his or her mouth to determine size, shape and density. As the child matures he or she will begin to use their hands to explore objects and the environment. Eventually the experiences with the mouth and hands will equip a child with a substantial understanding of their environment and the objects in it so that they can rely on the use of their eyes to determine size, shape, location and spatial awareness of things.

Physical and cognitive development is based on our ability to move in our environments and experience and manipulate objects and information. Anything preventing the child’s conscious or intended movements also prevents that child’s exploration and eventual understanding of their environment. Unconscious movement patterns delay and sometimes prevent physical and cognitive development, which inhibits normal development of the visual system and leads to many learning challenges.

Many of the problems associated with retained primitive reflexes or limited movement during key stages of development include poor balance, low muscle tone, poor body awareness, poor eye movement control, orientation, and reduced cognitive abilities. This is why the building of core muscle strength is a crucial part of vision therapy activities. Abdominal crunches not only build a foundation for good muscle tone, but an improved ability to move one’s body and the development of vision.

Fortunately, primitive reflexes can be integrated through specific repetitive movement patterns. Vision Therapy includes activities to incorporate primitive reflexes and improve a child’s conscious movement in their environment. These therapeutic activities are designed to either counter or mimic the reflexive movement with an emphasis on conscious muscular control by the child. Therapy involves the repetition of these specific movements to guide the child through basic physical skills (body mechanics) to body awareness (left and right, upper and lower body, and coordination). These therapies result in the child’s conscious awareness and control of their body. The integration of the primitive reflexes leads to intended motor control and increased visual development.

If you have questions or concerns related to primitive reflexes and their effect on your child’s visual development contact a developmental optometrists, like Dr. Todd Davis and Dr. Amy Carlyle, Developmental Optometry – Vision Therapy. After a thorough screening and diagnosis they can craft a vision therapy program specifically designed to cultivate the most optimal and efficient visual system in your child, providing a more certain futur