A Retained Primitive Reflex Parent Quiz
Nomad Chiropractic Mosman provides paediatric chiropractic care and retained primitive reflex screening for children across Sydney’s Lower North Shore, supporting nervous system development, learning readiness, and coordination.
Note: this quiz doesn’t include every reflex and is simply a short snapshot of the most commonly presented
Is Your Child’s Nervous System Ready for School?
A Retained Primitive Reflex Parent Quiz
This quiz is not a diagnosis.
It’s a simple way to help you notice patterns in your child’s movement, focus, posture, and regulation.
👉 Tick “Yes” if this sounds like your child now or recently.
MORO Reflex (Stress / Startle / Fight-or-Flight)
⬜ My child startles easily or seems constantly “on edge”
⬜ My child struggles to ignore background noise or movement
⬜ My child is easily overwhelmed in busy environments
⬜ My child appears anxious, hypervigilant, or impulsive
⬜ My child has big emotional reactions to small triggers
⬜ My child is sensitive to sound, light, or movement
⬜ My child complains that people talk too loudly
⬜ My child struggles in group singing or loud spaces
⬜ My child checks what’s happening around them often
⬜ My child experiences motion sickness or car sickness
⬜ My child dislikes trampolines or back-floating in the pool
⬜ My child gets frequent colds, allergies, asthma, or seems run down
ROOTING Reflex (Oral & Sensory Patterns)
⬜ My child sucks their thumb or fingers
⬜ My child is a very picky eater or avoids textures
⬜ My child chews on clothing, pencils, or objects
⬜ My child bites nails, toys, or others
⬜ My child has speech or articulation difficulties
⬜ My child lets their tongue rest forward or out of the mouth
⬜ My child drools beyond early childhood
⬜ My child is sensitive around the mouth or face
TLR – Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (Posture & Balance)
⬜ My child struggles reading the board at school
⬜ My child appears clumsy or unsure in their body
⬜ My child has poor balance or coordination
⬜ My child tires easily when sitting or concentrating
⬜ My child has a head tilt or altered posture
⬜ My child avoids looking up or down confidently
⬜ My child complains of neck or back pain
ATNR – Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (Eye Tracking & Midline)
⬜ My child struggles to ride a bike
⬜ My child has difficulty swimming or cross-body movements
⬜ My child writes with the page angled or crooked
⬜ My child struggles crossing the midline
⬜ My child has poor eye tracking or loses their place when reading
⬜ My child struggles catching or throwing a ball
⬜ My child complains of neck tightness or eye strain
STNR – Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (Sitting & Crawling)
⬜ My child skipped or delayed crawling as a baby
⬜ My child slumps at a desk or table
⬜ My child struggles to sit upright for schoolwork
PALMAR Reflex (Hands & Fine Motor)
⬜ My child has messy or effortful handwriting
⬜ My child fatigues quickly when writing
⬜ My child is heavy-handed or breaks things easily
⬜ My child struggles with fine motor tasks (buttons, scissors)
⬜ My child struggles to write down their ideas
PLANTAR Reflex (Feet & Movement)
⬜ My child walked later than expected
⬜ My child complains of ankle or leg pain
⬜ My child is sensitive to different floor surfaces
⬜ My child has a history of Sever’s disease
⬜ My child struggles with running or coordination
SPINAL GALANT Reflex (Wiggles & Regulation)
⬜ My child struggles to sit still
⬜ My child wiggles or fidgets constantly when seated
⬜ My child has difficulty concentrating while sitting
⬜ My child has bed-wetting beyond expected age
⬜ My child experiences constipation
⬜ My child has poor posture or spinal asymmetry
🧠 How to Interpret Your Results
✔ 0–5 ticks
Your child’s nervous system is likely coping well with current demands.
✔ 6–15 ticks
Some areas of neurological immaturity may be present. Gentle movement and nervous system support may be helpful.
✔ 16+ ticks
Your child may be working much harder than necessary just to cope with learning, posture, and regulation. A nervous system–focused assessment may provide valuable insight.
✔ Multiple ticks in one reflex section
This may suggest that specific reflex is still influencing your child’s development.
💛 What This Quiz Means (and What It Doesn’t)
This quiz does not label or diagnose your child.
It simply helps explain why school, focus, posture, or emotions may feel harder than expected.
The good news?
The nervous system is adaptable — especially in children.
With:
Targeted movement
Reduced nervous system interference
Gentle chiropractic care
Tools such as red laser therapy
many children show improvements in regulation, coordination, confidence, and learning ease.
What Are Retained Primitive Reflexes?
Primitive reflexes are automatic movement responses that help babies adapt to life outside the womb. As the brain develops, these reflexes are designed to fade so more mature movement, posture, attention, and regulation can take over.
When some reflexes remain active beyond early childhood, the nervous system may continue to rely on immature patterns. This can make everyday tasks — such as sitting still, focusing, coordinating movement, or managing sensory input — require more effort than they should.
Retained primitive reflexes don’t reflect intelligence, behaviour, or motivation. They simply indicate that certain neurological foundations are still developing. With the right input, including movement and nervous system support, the brain remains capable of adapting and maturing over time.
Homecare Movement Tips
We have a lot of homecare tips on our website here. But before you start doing every exercise under the sun we recommend getting checked and adjusted because some may integrate without the need of an extensive home-care regime with chiropractic care.
📲 FOLLOW SANDY ON SOCIALS! She gives heaps of Homecare intentional movement tips.
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Paediatric & Retained Primitive Reflex Chiropractic FAQ
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As children grow, school requires sustained sitting, focus, coordination, reading, writing, and emotional regulation. If primitive reflexes remain active, these higher-level skills can feel more demanding. This is why challenges linked to retained reflexes often become more noticeable once academic and classroom expectations increase.
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Yes. Some children meet early milestones but still retain subtle reflex patterns that only become apparent later. These children are often bright and capable but may fatigue quickly, struggle with posture, or become overwhelmed by sensory input as demands increase.
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They can be. Active reflex patterns may influence how the nervous system processes sound, light, movement, and touch. This can contribute to sensitivities in busy environments, difficulty filtering noise, or discomfort with certain movements or textures.
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Yes and no…. They may just dampen and be less “annoying” for the parent, or less obvious… but it’s a brain thing right! So what might be very obvious as a child may become an adaptation as an adult; which doesn’t make life necessarily any easier. For anyone. Effects are motor skills, behavioural, emotional… immune…
And especially for neurodivergent children. You can make their life and your own so much better if you work on the integration instead of the wait and hope approach…
Some reflexes integrate naturally over time, but others may persist without specific neurological input.
Movement-based strategies and chiropractic nervous system support may help encourage integration rather than relying on maturation alone.
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No. An online quiz is an observational screening tool designed to help parents notice patterns. It does not diagnose conditions or replace professional assessment. It simply highlights whether further nervous system-focused evaluation may be helpful.
Want to learn more? Book a FREE 15min discovery call with one of our North Shore Paediatric & Retained Primitive Reflex Chiropractors today: Book HERE
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Goddard Blythe, S. (2005). Reflexes, Learning and Behavior. Fern Ridge Press.
McPhillips, M., & Jordan-Black, J. (2007). Primary reflex persistence and reading difficulties. Dyslexia, 13(4), 316–338.
Melillo, R. (2009). Disconnected Kids. Penguin Group.
Taylor, M. et al. (2004). The effects of primitive reflex persistence on motor development. Journal of Child Neurology.
Haavik, H. (2014). The Reality Check: A Quest to Understand Chiropractic.
Pellow, J. et al. (2018). Low-level laser therapy and neurological modulation. Journal of Photomedicine and Laser Surgery.
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The information provided by Nomad Chiropractic is intended for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Chiropractic care, movement strategies, and nervous system–based approaches aim to support overall function and wellbeing. They do not diagnose or treat medical conditions, learning disorders, behavioural conditions, or developmental diagnoses.
Every child is unique, and responses to care may vary. Any concerns regarding your child’s health, development, learning, or behaviour should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional. Always seek advice from your GP, paediatrician, or other appropriately registered health practitioner regarding specific medical concerns.
This content does not replace individual assessment or care. Decisions about your child’s health should be made in consultation with qualified professionals familiar with your child’s individual needs.