We often get children with sensory processing/integration/modulation concerns, with complaints such as, their socks and shoes have to be just right, they won’t get their hands messy, they hate getting their hair washed, they are constantly bumping into things or leaning on people, they cover their ears at many sounds, they spin constantly, handwriting challenges, and on and on and on. Oftentimes, there are many other social implications that accompany the sensory concerns, including controlling, rigid, inflexible, and reactive behaviors. This can lead to frustration for the child, as well as the entire family and classroom!
The Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI) work has proven very helpful with these situations and behaviors. This approach works to organize the nervous system at the brainstem level, helping to the body to fully experience, solidify and integrate reflexes. A reflex’s primary job is to establish a sense of safety and protection within the body. Using the MNRI approach to help integrate reflexes creates and anchors the body’s foundation of safety and protection, and therefore, the higher level skills of sensory processing, praxis, and social skills are free to develop as they should.
What reflexes are you talking about? Well, there are a group of reflexes know as Primitive, or Postural, reflexes, that develop in utero and within the first two years of life. They are motor plans inherent within our DNA that help with processes including getting out of the birth canal, rooting to find food, learning to crawl, overall motor, auditory and visual development, and more! If for some reason (i.e. C-section, premature or traumatic birth, infant illnesses, colic, fussy behavior, skipping crawling, and many many more), these reflexes do not get an opportunity to get fully experienced and solidified, and then integrated, they can remain “active” within the body and create inefficient patterns, that may manifest as sensory challenges, visual challenges, motor challenges, learning challenges, etc.
The occupational therapists and speech pathologists at Family Tree Therapies work the MNRI approach and can assess your child’s reflexes, identify which reflexes may still be active within their nervous system and also provide you with a concrete and detailed exercise program to help integrate them, and therefore decrease many of the problem behaviors. Fill out our contact form today to set up your appointment. To learn more about the MNRI approach, visit www.masgutovamethod.com For an appointment please contact Family Tree Therapies for available evaluation times!