A Parent’s Guide:

Reflex Integration & Sensory Integration and how it affects behavior

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What are reflexes, and what does “integration” mean?

Babies are born with primitive reflexes—automatic movements that help them survive and develop. For example:

• Turning their head to suck (feeding reflex)

• Grasping your finger

• Startling at loud sounds

As your child grows, these reflexes are meant to fade (integrate) and be replaced by more controlled, voluntary movements.

👉 Reflex integration means these early reflexes have matured and no longer interfere with movement, learning, or behavior.

 

What is sensory integration?

Your child’s brain is constantly taking in information from the senses:

• Touch

• Movement and Body awareness (vestibular/balance & proprioception/joint senses)

• Sight, sound, taste, smell

👉 Sensory integration is the brain’s ability to organize and respond to this information in a useful way.

For example:

• Sitting still in class

• Ignoring background noise

• Coordinating movements

• Managing emotions

 

How are they connected?

This is the key idea:

👉 Reflex integration lays the foundation for sensory integration.

When primitive reflexes don’t fully integrate, they can disrupt how the brain processes sensory input.

Think of it like this:

• Reflexes = early wiring system

• Sensory integration = how well the system runs

If the wiring isn’t fully organized, the system can glitch.

 

What happens when reflexes aren’t fully integrated?

If certain reflexes remain active, they can interfere with sensory processing and everyday skills.

Possible signs you might notice:

Movement & coordination

• Clumsiness

• Trouble with balance

• Poor posture

Attention & learning

• Difficulty focusing

• Fidgeting or constant movement

• Trouble with reading or writing

Sensory sensitivities

• Overreacting to noise, touch, or movement

• Seeking lots of movement (spinning, jumping)

• Avoiding certain textures or activities

Emotional regulation

• Big reactions to small problems

• Easily overwhelmed

• Difficulty calming down

Toileting Challenges

• potty accidents

• stool withholding

• constipation

 

Why does this happen?

Primitive reflexes are closely tied to the brainstem (the “survival” part of the brain).

If they remain active:

• The brain stays in a more reactive state

• Higher-level skills (attention, emotional control, coordination) have a weaker foundation

• Sensory signals may feel confusing or overwhelming

 

How reflex integration supports sensory integration

When reflexes are integrated:

• The body moves more smoothly and efficiently

• The brain can better filter sensory input

• Attention and learning improve

• Emotional responses become more regulated

• Sensory-based toileting issues resolve

👉 In short: a more organized body leads to a more organized brain

 

How can parents support this?

You don’t need anything complicated—movement is powerful.

Helpful activities:

• Crawling and creeping games

• Rolling, spinning, swinging

• Climbing and balancing

• Animal walks (bear crawl, crab walk)

• Playing on the floor (instead of always sitting)

These activities help the brain and body “re-pattern” early movement systems.

 

When to seek extra support

Consider talking to a professional (like an occupational therapist) if your child:

• Struggles significantly with coordination or balance

• Has strong sensory sensitivities

• Finds school tasks, transitions, handwriting, keeping hands to self, focusing or sitting still unusually difficult

• Seems constantly “on edge” or overwhelmed, easily frustrated, has meltdowns,

They may assess both reflex integration and sensory processing together.

 

The big takeaway

• Reflexes are the starting point of development

• Sensory integration is how the brain uses information to function

• If reflexes don’t fully integrate, sensory processing can be harder

• Supporting movement and development can improve both

 

We make every effort to present information accurately. Every child with sensory challenges is unique and will respond to strategies with varying degrees of success. No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied in this report.