Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is the current clinical term for what many people still know as dyspraxia. It describes a profile where the brain finds it harder than expected to plan, sequence, and execute physical movement. Children with DCD often appear clumsy, struggle with tasks like tying laces or riding a bike, find handwriting effortful, and may avoid physical activity because it feels unpredictable or unreliable. Of all the areas where retained primitive reflexes have a direct and well-documented connection, motor development and coordination sit at the top of that list.
An Important Starting Point
DCD is a recognised and valid diagnosis. It describes something real about how a child's brain processes and coordinates movement, and neurodevelopmental therapy will not remove that diagnosis, change it, or make it disappear. That is not what we are here to do, and it is not something we would aspire to.
Children with DCD are often highly creative, empathetic, and verbally able. Many develop remarkable compensatory strategies and go on to thrive in fields that value their particular way of thinking. The aim of working with Think Thrive is to reduce some of the daily physical effort and frustration that retained reflexes can add, so that children can get on with being themselves.
If your child is already working with an occupational therapist or physiotherapist, please continue that work. Neurodevelopmental therapy addresses a specific neurological layer and works well alongside other forms of motor support.
Why Primitive Reflexes and Motor Development Are Closely Connected
Primitive reflexes are, at their core, movement patterns. They are the body's earliest motor programmes, laid down before birth, and they form the foundation on which all later voluntary movement is built. When they integrate as expected, they hand over to more sophisticated, cortically controlled movement. When they do not, the early involuntary patterns remain active and interfere with the smooth, planned movement that daily life requires.
This is why the INPP method has a particularly direct relationship with DCD. Primitive reflex integration is not a secondary consideration when it comes to coordination difficulties. It is central to them.
The Reflexes Most Commonly Connected to DCD
- The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) This reflex connects the position of the head to the tone of the upper and lower body. When retained, it disrupts the coordination between the upper and lower halves of the body, making activities that require both to work together smoothly, such as swimming, ball sports, or even walking rhythmically, considerably harder.
- The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) Links head rotation to the extension and flexion of the limbs on the same side. When it persists, crossing the midline of the body becomes difficult, which affects handwriting, catching and throwing, and many bilateral tasks that children are expected to manage in school and daily life.
- The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR) Closely connected to balance, muscle tone, and the ability to sense where the body is in space. When retained, children may have poor posture, low muscle tone, and difficulty with any activity that requires good body awareness and balance. They may appear floppy or stiff depending on the direction of the reflex.
- The Spinal Galant reflex When retained, this reflex can cause persistent sensitivity along the lower spine. Children may be unable to sit still comfortably, particularly on chairs that touch the lower back, which is commonly mistaken for distractibility or restlessness.
- The Moro reflex The startle response. When retained, it affects timing and coordination of movement, as the body's default response to any unexpected input is to react before thinking. This interferes with the calm, controlled, pre-planned movement that activities like sport, swimming, or writing require.
"Primitive reflexes are the foundation of voluntary movement. When that foundation is incomplete, everything built on top of it requires more effort."
How Neurodevelopmental Therapy Can Help
The INPP method uses a carefully structured daily movement programme to support reflex integration over time. Each movement is chosen specifically to replicate the developmental patterns that the nervous system needs in order to complete the integration process. The programme is done at home, takes only a few minutes each day, and is tailored to each individual child following a full assessment.
For children with DCD, families often notice over the course of a programme that movements begin to feel less effortful, that the child becomes more confident in their body, that handwriting improves, and that the degree of concentration required for physical tasks decreases. These changes happen because the neurological foundation for movement is becoming more complete, not because the child has simply practised more.
Where DCD overlaps with sensory processing or auditory difficulties, Tomatis sound therapy can also be part of the picture. The Tomatis Method supports the vestibular system through the ear, which has a direct connection to balance, posture, and the body's ability to orient itself in space.
Is This Relevant to Your Child?
If your child has a DCD or dyspraxia diagnosis, or if you have noticed significant difficulties with coordination, balance, handwriting, or physical confidence that have not been fully explained, an INPP assessment will identify which reflexes are still active and to what degree. There is no commitment required to take that first step, and the assessment itself provides useful information regardless of whether you decide to proceed.
Rebecca holds a Licentiate of INPP (Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology) and is a Tomatis Level 2 Practitioner. She brings over 20 years of classroom experience and a personal understanding of what it means to support a neurodiverse child.