How Primitive Reflexes Shape Newborns' Coordination & Cognition Skills| A Parent's Guide to Child Development

How Primitive Reflexes Shape Newborns' Coordination & Cognition Skills| A Parent's Guide to Child Development

From A Parent's Guide to Child Development by Annamarie von Firley

May 30, 2026 · 51 min

About this episode

Emily Roper discusses the impact of primitive reflexes on newborns' coordination and cognition skills.

In this episode, Emily Roper discusses key primitive reflexes like Moro, spinal Galant, ATNR, STNR, and palmar grasp. These essential systems, beyond newborn reflexes, influence motor development, coordination, vision, feeding, and stress regulation. She highlights milestones such as crawling and crossing the midline, crucial for brain communication, visual tracking, balance, and skills like reading and writing. Feeding reflexes such as rooting, sucking, and hand-mouth coordination (Babkin reflex) relate to speech, oral-motor control, and self-regulation. Roper explains how retained reflexes impact behavior, learning, sensory processing, and emotional regulation.Time Stamps:01:44 What are primitive reflexes and their purpose in newborns?03:17 How many types of infant reflexes & their role in cognitive and physical development?08:44 What is the Moro reflex & why does it play an important role in infant breathing?10:34 How the retained startle reflex may affect anxiety, attention, sensory sensitivity & emotional regulation?11:42 What is a moral reflex and its impacts on 14:18 What are the emotional effects of a retained fear paralysis reflex19:25 How do reflexes like…

People in this episode

Host: Annamarie von Firley

Guest: Emily Roper

Topics covered

  • primitive reflexes
  • newborn development
  • motor skills
  • cognition
  • emotional regulation
  • feeding reflexes

Keywords

  • Moro reflex
  • ATNR
  • STNR
  • motor development
  • crawling
  • sensory processing
  • emotional regulation
  • feeding reflexes

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: How Primitive Reflexes Shape Newborns' Coordination & Cognition Skills| A Parent's Guide to Child Development

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