Retained primitive reflexes & neurodivergence

[Ceke2002]

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On a scale of woo, how much BS is in the idea that retained primitive reflexes is a cause of neurodivergence? I've been seeing a lot of ads for Chiropractic and New Age types offering 'bodily intergration' type services supposedly meant to cure things like ADHD and Autism. That alone sets off my BS woo meter, but is there any actual medical evidence for this? (the retained primitive reflexes as a potential cause of neurodivergence aspect, not the New Age/Chiropractic nonsense).

Colour me amused but curious. 🤔

 

[comp1]

Woo.

 

[Ceke2002]

Woo.

Thank you for that very succinct response, appreciate getting straight to the point. I thought as much, but wasn't entirely sure these folks weren't just trying to cash in on something semi legit with false promises.

 

[Cath Up]

You know it's woo when the main article that appears upon searching this topic (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.922322/full) describes that TREATING primitive reflexes may help autism... despite no real evidence AND the fact that the paper was written by a "functional neurologist" (chiropractor) who discloses no conflict of interest but is evidently a co-founder of an expensive treatment that treats ASD via primitive reflex suppression.

 

[Ceke2002]

You know it's woo when the main article that appears upon searching this topic (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.922322/full) describes that TREATING primitive reflexes may help autism... despite no real evidence AND the fact that the paper was written by a "functional neurologist" (chiropractor) who discloses no conflict of interest but is evidently a co-founder of an expensive treatment that treats ASD via primitive reflex suppression.

Yikes! And 'functional neurologist' makes no sense. Functional as opposed to what? A non functioning neurologist? Snake oil scammers like this disgust me.
I did figure this to most likely be woo, just wasn't sure if it was something at least partly legit that these leeches has latched onto with false promises.

 

[mistafab]

Functional neurologist definition:
Thinks they are a neurologist, that they have neurology training, and try to act like a neurologist. However, on careful inspection, they do not fit the criteria of a bona fide neurologist. 🤣

Yikes! And 'functional neurologist' makes no sense. Functional as opposed to what? A non functioning neurologist? Snake oil scammers like this disgust me.
I did figure this to most likely be woo, just wasn't sure if it was something at least partly legit that these leeches has latched onto with false promises.

 

[PsyDr]

1) “The knowledge and philosophy given me by Dr. Jim Atkinson, an intelligent spiritual being, together with explanations of phenomena, principles resolved from causes, effects, powers, laws and utility, appealed to my reason. The method by which I obtained an explanation of certain physical phenomena, from an intelligence in the spiritual world, is known in biblical language as inspiration. In a great measure The Chiropractor's Adjuster was written under such spiritual prompting” - DD Palmer

2) If primitive reflexes are a cause of neurodivergence, then a smooth philtrum is a cause of fetal alcohol syndrome. Tell plastics they can now cure FAS.

 

[Ceke2002]

1) “The knowledge and philosophy given me by Dr. Jim Atkinson, an intelligent spiritual being, together with explanations of phenomena, principles resolved from causes, effects, powers, laws and utility, appealed to my reason. The method by which I obtained an explanation of certain physical phenomena, from an intelligence in the spiritual world, is known in biblical language as inspiration. In a great measure The Chiropractor's Adjuster was written under such spiritual prompting” - DD Palmer

2) If primitive reflexes are a cause of neurodivergence, then a smooth philtrum is a cause of fetal alcohol syndrome. Tell plastics they can now cure FAS.

Oh dear gods to that first one. I will be honest and say I did used to believe a lot of the woo nonsense out there a long time ago (I think a few people at least go through that phase in their lives). These days I'm all for accepting someone's right to hold their own beliefs regarding any unproven personal gnosis (within reason), just don't be peddling snake oil treatments and false hope to people, or proselytising to vulnerable folks about some new agey, woo nonsense that is supposed to fix their problems with the equivalent of cracking your joints and then getting a back rub.

No, wait, I think I might be channeling a message from John Dee and Edward Kelley 😏...verily by the power of the great online Enochian language translator I have forsooth been moved in the spirit to declare...⟨∪⟩⟨И⟩⟨∀⟩⟨Л⟩ ⟨Π⟩⟨Э⟩⟨О⟩⟨Π⟩⟨Л⟩⟨Э⟩ ⟨Г⟩⟨Э⟩⟨Н⟩ ⟨∪⟩⟨И⟩⟨Π⟩⟨Н⟩ ⟨Φ⟩⟨О⟩⟨О⟩⟨Л⟩⟨∑⟩ (these people are dangerous frauds)

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I haven't really been able to find any reputable information and/or research papers saying that 'retained primitive reflexes' are even a thing. especially not retained well into adulthood and then somehow also magically linked up with *insert neurodivergent flavour of the month*. Nice of plastics to take over treatment of FAS though, I'm sure such an immense breakthrough will be making headline news any day now, yep any day....

 

[futureapppsy2]

Are retained primitive reflexes even that common in autism/ADHD? (legit asking) I've always heard of it more with regards to cerebral palsy, etc.

 

[comp1]

No, this is all made up. Primitive reflexes indicate traumatic brain damage. That can occur as early as birth, but it has nothing at all to do with autism.

 

[Ceke2002]

No, this is all made up. Primitive reflexes indicate traumatic brain damage. That can occur as early as birth, but it has nothing at all to do with autism.

Thanks for confirming that. I had seen what looked like older footage of actual medical Doctors performing infant exams and testing for primitive reflexes, so I assum(ed) it was a legit thing, but beyond infancy just seemed a bit questionable unless something else was at play (like TBI or similar). The funny thing is I actually do have this really weird spot along the lefthand side of my spine, where, if it's touched or stroked, will elicit a sort of a (and this is best way I know how to describe it) galant reflex. But I've seen a lot of different medical Doctors over the years for an eventual diagosis of peripheral neuropathy mainly, and apart from apparently finding my 'jumpy spoy' utterly fascinating and wanting to poke at it repeatedly (no, really) not one of them has ever suddenly gone, 'Aha" and then diagnosed my with retained primitive reflexes. So that also made me a bit suss on this whole thing.