TWGPC011 How does the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex impact school kids?

Podcast Shorts from the Learning Disabilities Podcast Network

0:02 Good morning. It's Cheri from The Writing Glitch with another Pocket Cast.

0:08 Today, I want to talk to you about primitive reflexes and why they are important to writing skills.

0:20 Each day this week, I will share a different one Today.

0:24 I will talk to you about the asymmetric tonic neck reflex.

0:31 The asymmetric tonic neck reflex is abbreviated ATNR.

0:37 So, parents, if you have heard an OT talk about their ATNR, that's what they're talking about.

0:43 It's a reflex that happens when they are babies as are developing.

0:49 The reflex allows them to move their head to the side and look at a toy.

0:59 Meanwhile, the hand they are not looking towards is moving toward their head.

1:07 It's kind of like their hands are on a string, and as their head turns to the side, the string moves to the one side, and then the series moves to the other side on the way back.

1:18 But it doesn't just happen in the head.

1:21 It does. It's a full-body movement.

1:24 You don't see it as much in the legs the way you look at a baby because oftentimes you have them lying down.

1:31 So when kids get older, an easier way to test it is on their hands and knees, and you ask the kid to stand on their hands and knees, and you turn their head to the side.

1:46 And if the side away from their face buckles, they can potentially have a retained to ATNR.

1:58 Now this reflects should, what word am I looking for?

2:05 Equalize, I guess, is the right word.

2:07 It should equalize into your system when you are in infant stages like that, 0 to 1, maybe 1.5 at the latest.

2:18 But by then, your other reflexes should be taking over in kids with developmental delay and other things that may have happened to them as a young child, the ATNR stays in the back, and when things trigger it, it kicks in.

2:43 So when we have kids at the desk, they're looking like they're like laying all over the desk, and they might have their feet hanging out to the side, and they don't want right in the middle.

3:00 They may be compensating for an A and R because their system is in this reflex, and they cannot physically get out of it until they move their body.

3:13 So when we're talking about kids, about posture, this is something to be concerned about.

3:21 And when we're looking at writing skills, they won't have effective writing if they have a terrible posture.

3:28 However, it may not be under their control.

3:32 This reflex may kick in when something happens at school or home.

3:42 But we don't realize it because it seems part of them.

3:46 So when I think, some of the other impacts that will happen with A T and R in writing is kids won't want to pay attention because they're off to the side.

4:00 They have trouble seeing it because it's not in the middle.

4:04 So if you got kids with intention and poor slouchy, resting back all the time, position with their writing skills, have an ot look at it and see if they have a retained asymmetric tonic neck reflex.

4:23 If you'd like to learn more about these reflexes, keep looking for a master class that will be coming out in the fall on primitive reflexes for now.

4:38 Think about what you can learn between now and then about primitive reflexes.

4:43 But my offer is going to be going up live. You can order it very soon.

4:53 More information is coming as the week progresses. Talk with you soon. Thanks. Bye.

5:00 This is Cheri from The Writing Glitch, and this is Monday's Pocket Cast.