#387 - Retained Primitive Reflexes: The Overlooked Cause of Struggles in the Classroom

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Retained Primitive Reflexes: The Overlooked Cause of Struggles in the Classroom

Teachers and therapists often see students struggling with focus, posture, handwriting, or behavior but the root cause might not be what you think. Retained primitive reflexes can have a huge impact in the classroom. 📚

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What primitive reflexes are and why they matter

• How retained reflexes show up in school settings
  

• Simple classroom strategies to support students
  

• Why movement breaks and alternative seating make a difference

Thanks for tuning in 🩷

If this episode was helpful, share it with a teacher or therapist who could use these strategies!

If your students struggle with focus, posture, handwriting, or big emotions, the cause may go deeper than behavior. Retained primitive reflexes can affect learning, attention, and overall classroom success. 📚

In this episode, we break down what teachers and therapists need to know about primitive reflexes. You’ll learn how they form the foundation of the Pyramid of Learning, what happens when reflexes don’t integrate, and how this impacts reading, writing, posture, behavior, and more. We also share practical classroom strategies like crawling transitions, alternative seating, and short movement breaks that make a big difference for all students.

Thanks for watching 🩷

Let us know in the comments if you’ve seen retained reflexes show up in your classroom. We’d love to hear your experiences!

We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form - https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3 

Links

All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram 

Harkla Website 

Harkla YouTube

Harkla Instagram

Harkla Digital Courses

Pyramid of Learning

Tessa’s Interview

Sensory Activity Cards

Sensory Dice

Sensory Sticks 

Classroom Course 

Primitive Reflex Course

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