Integration of Babinski Reflex is Necessary for Solid Foundation to Build Skills

By Julia Grover OTR/L
Founder of In-Tuned®

 We need a good foundation from which to support other skills.

 A stable foundation allows us to focus for prolonged periods, use our hands effectively and frees up our attention to creative problem solve. When stable, we don’t have to worry about equilibrium and balance…it’s just there.

A stable foundation helps provide bodily organization and motor control.

 We humans have a highly intelligent, well designed skeletal system stacked for efficient performance, but our nervous system must be working well in order for us to benefit from this intelligence.

The Babinski reflex prepares us for crawling, standing and reciprocal gait pattern. Naturally it should integrate by our second birthday. Sometimes it doesn’t…and the fall out: lack of focus, poorly developed hand use, abnormal gait (toe walking for example), gross motor and motor coordination delay. This combination of skill deficit sets a child up for self-regulation and social emotional issues.

So, let the children crawl as long as they want before walking, run barefoot in the grass, march around and balance on top of boulders. If that’s not enough they may need some hands-on foot work.

Sometimes we have to work from the bottom up so take off the shoes and socks.

Julia