OT: Lack of protective response/reflex

April 13, 2001

I can't remember the correct name for this reflex but isn't it a reflex to put

your hands out in front of you to catch yourself when falling? My son does not

do this so therefore usually lands on his head when falling. Tonight his nose

met with the brick in front of our fireplace and I saw him slip and he would

have had time to put a hand down but his arms stayed at his side and his nose

took the fall.He is 4 years old,almost 5. Anyone else see this and do we need to

teach them how to fall safely?

April 14, 2001

Does your son get any Occupational Therapy? This would be a good place to

address this problem.

My son has many problems with motor planning... He seems to know what his

body should do, but can't make the connection between brain and muscles, etc.

I see what you mean about a reflex and if there's supposed to be a reflex,

then planning shouldn't be needed, but it still seems like these things are

related. It might be because his proprioceptive and vestibular senses don't

tell his brain that his body is falling, so the reflex doesn't " kick-in " .

Sorry to sound so technical, but I'm working on learning about this stuff

now, and I guess I'm thinking out loud, so to speak.

You might look at The Out-of-Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz. It's helped me

understand Ben's motor problems as signs of sensory integration dysfunction.

Good luck!

Cherri

April 14, 2001

My son is the same way, and I have two friends with kids like that too.

Apparently it's common in kids with sensory problems. Don't know what to do

about it though...

OT: Lack of protective response/reflex

> I can't remember the correct name for this reflex but isn't it a reflex to

put your hands out in front of you to catch yourself when falling? My son

does not do this so therefore usually lands on his head when falling.

Tonight his nose met with the brick in front of our fireplace and I saw him

slip and he would have had time to put a hand down but his arms stayed at

his side and his nose took the fall.He is 4 years old,almost 5. Anyone else

see this and do we need to teach them how to fall safely?

>

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