In Utero - it develops a baby’s breathing mechanisms.

At birth the Moro facilitates the first breath

In the first 2-4 months The Moro reflex occurs as a response to threat.

It activates Fight/Flight Response by:

1. brain stem- hypothalamus - adrenaline release
2. increased respiration rate
3. increase in heart rate

And should lead to a an outburst of emotion: anger or tears.

Signs of retained reflex:

* A child who is in a consistent state of hyper awareness

* Prone to hypersensitivity to stimulus

* Prone to hyper reactivity in fight (anger) or flight (withdraw)

* Many childhood allergies and signs of lowered immunity - tonsils, adenoids, ear

infections

* Poor adaptability

Sally Goddard describes these children in her book “Reflexes Learning & Behaviour”

“ Such a child may present a paradox - acutely sensitive, perceptive and imaginative on the one hand, but immature and over-reactive on the other.

He may cope in one of two ways: by being the fearful child who ‘withdraws’ from situations, has difficulty in socialising, and can neither accept nor demonstrate affection easily.

On the other hand, he may become the over-active, aggressive child who is highly excitable, cannot read body language and who needs to dominate situations.

Either child will tend to be manipulative, as he attempts to find strategies which will give hum some measure of control over his own emotional responses”

How To Test:

1. Place child supine (lying down face up) , shoulders supported on a pillow, arms bent a little and palms down on the floor.
2. Lift head a couple of inches from level of spine.
3. Tell the child to "cross arms across chest when you feel your head drop"
4. Allow head to drop (catch it before it hits the floor!)

What we are looking for is a startle type reaction - the hands/arms hesitate, a sharp inhale, a shocked look in the eyes and face or an emotional reaction to the test.

If any of these responses occur then we can assume that the reflex is active.

Especially for the moro - I do not test this over and over again in clinic. Just once is enough. The results will be seen anecdotally - parents will say that the child is much less reactive and able to communicate their feelings

This video is a good example of the test. With the supine test I don't bring the head up so high! And arms to cross fully around chest if can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MXYbGn0ih8