What Are Retained Primitive Reflexes Symptoms?
Primitive reflexes are automatic movement patterns babies are born with—like the Moro, ATNR, STNR, TLR, and Landau Reflex. These reflexes should integrate during early development. But when they don’t, the nervous system carries them into adulthood.
Retained Primitive Reflexes Symptoms show up as tension, clumsy movement, anxiety, overreactivity, difficulty paying attention, and trouble with memory or organization. These symptoms don’t disappear with age—they simply become harder to spot because adults learn to hide them through compensation.
How Retained Reflexes Impact Adult Behavior
Many adults don’t realize their emotional patterns, stress reactions, or coping styles are rooted in childhood reflexes that never fully integrated.
Here’s how retained primitive reflexes symptoms can impact adult behavior:
- Moro Reflex retention → anxiety, hypervigilance, irritability
- ATNR retention → difficulty turning the head while driving, shoulder tension, trouble reading
- STNR retention → poor posture, discomfort sitting at a desk, fatigue
- TLR retention → dizziness, motion sensitivity, clumsiness, awkward movement
- Landau retention → low core strength, poor endurance, difficulty with sustained attention
Adults often describe feeling “on edge,” emotionally reactive, or overwhelmed by tasks that seem simple for others. These aren’t personality traits—they are neurological symptoms.
How Reflexes Affect Learning in Adults
We often think of “learning difficulties” as something only relevant to children, but reflexes affect learning at every age.
When reflexes remain active, they interrupt:
- Eye tracking → making reading tiring and slow
- Working memory → forgetfulness and difficulty following instructions
- Processing speed → needing more time to complete tasks
- Focus → difficulty staying engaged in meetings or conversations
- Motor coordination → clumsy handwriting or fatigue during fine motor tasks
Adults with retained reflexes often say:
- “I can read, but I don’t retain anything.”
- “I reread the same paragraph 3 times.”
- “I understand concepts but can’t organize them.”
These reflect neurological immaturity, not intellectual ability.
For a deeper look at attention challenges, read this article.
Why Retained Reflexes Persist Into Adulthood
Primitive reflexes persist when:
- Crawling, creeping, or early motor stages were skipped
- There was birth trauma or developmental stressors
- The child had sensory-processing challenges
- Chronic stress prevented the nervous system from finishing integration
Because reflexes are wired into the brainstem—the survival center—they don’t naturally “go away.” Without targeted movement patterns, they remain stored in the nervous system.
This leads to adults who:
- Can’t fully relax
- Have chronic body tension
- Struggle with coordination
- Get overwhelmed fast
- Experience persistent dysphoria or mood swings
- Feel “stuck” in fight, flight, or freeze
The Sensory and Nervous System Impact
Retained reflexes keep the body locked in outdated survival programming. This affects how adults process sensory input.
Sensory Systems Affected:
- Vestibular (balance): dizziness, spatial confusion, motion sickness
- Proprioceptive (body awareness): clumsiness, poor posture, chronic tight muscles
- Tactile (touch): discomfort with certain fabrics or physical contact
When the sensory system is overloaded or underdeveloped, the brain has to work harder to interpret the world—which drains energy and affects mood and behavior.
For more on how sensory processing affects behavior, read this blog post.
The Emotional Symptoms Adults Don’t Expect
Adults with retained primitive reflexes symptoms often say:
- “Small things overwhelm me.”
- “I shut down when too many things happen at once.”
- “I’m sensitive to criticism.”
- “I can’t regulate my emotions.”
- “Stress hits me harder than it should.”
These are nervous-system-based reactions, not personal weaknesses. Reflex retention keeps emotional responses tied to primitive, infant-level patterns.
Physical Symptoms That Go Unexplained
Many adults spend years addressing symptoms without ever identifying the neurological root. Retained reflexes can cause:
- Chronic neck and shoulder tension
- Poor endurance or core weakness
- Headaches or eye-strain from reading
- Difficulty sitting still
- Sensitivity to motion or bright lights
- Trouble coordinating left and right sides of the body
These symptoms are often misdiagnosed as anxiety disorders, ADHD, chronic fatigue, or musculoskeletal issues—when the true root lies in reflex integration.
Can Adults Integrate Reflexes Later in Life?
Yes — the nervous system can change at any age. Through targeted developmental movements, rhythmic patterns, and sensory integration exercises, the brain completes unfinished reflex stages and rebuilds efficient pathways.
Our Brain Reorganization Program guides members of all ages through the exact sequences that mimic early developmental milestones to support the integration of retained reflexes.
What Changes When Reflexes Integrate?
Adults commonly report:
- Less anxiety and sensory overwhelm
- More stable emotions
- Better focus and clarity
- Improved coordination
- Better reading comprehension
- Stronger core and posture
- A sense of calm they’ve never felt before
This is what happens when the brain finally completes developmental tasks that were paused years ago.
Final Thoughts
Retained Primitive Reflexes Symptoms don’t disappear with age — they simply show up in more subtle, adult-shaped ways. When we understand how these reflexes impact adult behavior and affect learning, we can stop blaming ourselves and start addressing the root cause.
Learn more about our Brain Reorganization Program here.
Rewiring the nervous system is possible — and it’s one of the most powerful ways adults can reclaim calm, clarity, and control.
