Sometimes you might notice that your child uses a lot of effort or energy to coordinate their body, concentrate, write or manage everyday tasks.
There can be many reasons for this. For some children, retained primitive reflexes may be one piece of the picture.
A Primitive Reflex Assessment looks at these early movement patterns and whether they may be influencing your child’s movement, learning, regulation or everyday participation.
What are primitive reflexes?
Some of our earliest movements help lay the foundations for what comes next.
Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns present in babies during the earliest stages of development.
As children grow, these reflexes typically integrate as more advanced movement and skills develop.
Sometimes a reflex remains active for longer than expected. When this happens, it may influence the way a child moves, coordinates their body, regulates themselves, learns or manages everyday activities.
A Primitive Reflex Assessment may be helpful if your child…
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Finds balance, coordination or posture challenging
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Finds handwriting or fine motor tasks challenging
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Finds sitting still or sustaining attention difficult
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Can become easily overwhelmed or finds regulation challenging
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Seems to use a lot of effort or energy to manage everyday tasks
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Experiences ongoing challenges with movement or learning
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Has areas of development you’d like to understand more clearly
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Or perhaps you feel like there might be another piece of the puzzle that could help you understand your child.
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Getting to know your child
Before the assessment, we’ll learn more about your child’s developmental history, strengths and the things you’re noticing.
You’ll complete a parent-carer questionnaire and, where appropriate, we’ll also gather information from your child’s educator and review relevant reports.
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Assessment
Your child will attend an individual assessment with one of our trained Occupational Therapists.
Through age-appropriate movement activities and formal primitive reflex testing, we’ll observe how your child moves and coordinates their body and explore whether particular primitive reflexes may still be present.
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Understanding the findings
Your Occupational Therapist will analyse the assessment and prepare a comprehensive report outlining your child’s primitive reflex profile, the possible functional impact of any retained reflexes and recommendations for next steps.
We’ll then meet with you to talk through the findings, answer your questions and help you understand what they mean for your child.
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Supporting what comes next
If retained primitive reflexes are identified, you can choose to continue with integration support.
This may include parent training, a personalised home program and optional check-in sessions to review progress and adjust activities over time.
More than an assessment
Understanding that helps you know what to do next.
You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of your child’s primitive reflex profile, a comprehensive written report and practical recommendations for what may support them next.
If integration support is recommended, you can choose whether you’d like to continue with a personalised home program and further support.
Available to new & existing families
Primitive Reflex Assessments are available as a standalone service for both new and existing Motivate Kids families.
If your child already attends Motivate Kids, the findings can help inform their ongoing OT support. If you’re new to Motivate Kids, you can access the assessment independently and decide whether you’d like any further support afterwards.
Available for children and young people aged 4 years and over.
Wondering if Primitive Reflexes could be part of the picture?
You might already know that a Primitive Reflex Assessment is what you’re looking for, or you may simply be curious about whether it could help you understand your child more clearly.
Tell us a little about your child and what you’ve been noticing. Our team can help you work out whether a Primitive Reflex Assessment is the right next step.
