Symmetric tonic reflex of the neck (STNR) occurs 6-9 months after birth and is inhibited between 9 and 11 months after birth.If STNR remains present, the bilateral integration is affected. They will find it difficult to use their upper body together with their lower body, each engaged in a different type of move (like riding a bike, having issues reading and writing and most tasks that need bilateral coordination.)How is it tested? The child is sitting on all fours we move his head up/down and w

It’s all because of a retained reflex called the STNR - symmetrical tonic neck reflex. It’s a reflex that splits the body in half from top and bottom, and it helps to allow babies to learn to crawl forward. When it doesn’t integrate, or mature, that leaves the person’s body movements at the mercy of what their head, neck, and eyes are doing. It’s extremely exhausting! It can be 10 times harder for people with this reflex retained to copy from the board, sit properly in a chair, ride a bike, etc.

This is a reflex test... It's called the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR). This reflex should normally integrate (go away) by around 6 months of age. If it's still present later, it can affect posture, hand-eye coordination, and even reading and writing skills. You can check this on your child by having them in a "puppy push-up" position, gently turning their head side to side, and watching to see if their arms straighten or bend in response. For more reflex testing examples, DM us the word