The Child Centre method is a non-invasive program of energetic and movement related treatments to promote development of your child/babies nervous system and the integration of primitive reflexes. By de-stressing the issue around the primitive reflex, we are enabling the reflex to integrate as it should be with the child/baby. This method gently encourages the nervous system to mature and become open to learning, be it crawling, walking, co-ordination, ability to cope and function with ease. The Child Centre method incorporates Kinesiology, Optimal Health Balance (OHB), Neural Organisational Techniques (NOT) and energetic healing.
Helping children to reach their full potential
The Child Centre Method is a Learning and Behaviour Improvement Program for children. Its creator Dr. Alweena Awan from the UK is an author, lecturer and leading therapist in child development. She has worked with children for over twenty years, as a teacher, physical educator and therapist. Dr. Awan received her Doctorate in “Raising Children’s Learning and Performance in Schools”, in 2008. She explains that The Child Centre Method is a “systematic integrated program that allows the practitioner to firstly identify the individual challenges that each student/client faces and secondly, to create a unique program for that individual”.
Retained Primitive Reflexes are the keys to understanding children’s learning and behaviour issues and are at the heart of The Child Centre Method.
Child Centre Method Leitrim
What are Primitive Relexes?
Primitive and Postural Reflexes are programmed automatic movements which develop in Utero for our survival. An example is the Moro reflex, which allows a new born to take its first breath. Problems arise if the reflex is retained, as the body is held in “flight/flight” mode. As a baby grows up, this primitive reflex is replaced by newly learned movements, in a process of integration.
However, when the process of integration is not complete, the reflex will have an adverse effect on a child’s emotional well-being as well as how the child learns and behaves.
ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, difficulty with reading and writing, concentration and emotional management are examples of issues related to retained primitive reflexes.
The Moro Reflex should be integrated between 4 – 5 months and my present as any of the following symptoms; If the Moro reflex persists beyond three to six months of age it becomes an automatic therefore uncontrollable overreaction, overriding the newly acquired higher centre decision making. This reflex is there in preparation for suckling. The combination of rooting and suck reflexes ensures that a baby’s head turns toward a source of food and the mouth opens wide enough to accommodate a nipple. The Rooting Reflex should be integrated between 3 – 4 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms; Associated with this reflex is a response known as the Babkin response, which is a neurological link between the hand and the mouth. This can be seen as kneading movements of the hand associated with suckling. This is a two way response; hand movements can affect speech and speech my affect hand movement and dexterity. If a Suck Reflex is not adequately integrated, the tongue projects forwards before moving backward in the normal swallow action. This tongue thrust continually pushes the front teeth forwards, altering the shape of the maxillary arch. The Suck Reflex should be integrated between 3 – 4 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms; The reflex continues after birth and plays an important part in the development of hand eye coordination, object and distance perception. If the ATNR is retained, difficulty may be experienced with tasks which involve both left and right sides of the body including eyes, ears, limbs etc. Establishment of dominant hand, foot, ear or eye may be difficult. Turning the head may cause a visual image to momentarily disappear or parts of the visual field to be missed. Visual tracking and judgement of distance may be therefore be affected. The Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex should be integrated between 6 – 7 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms; The Palmar Reflex and the Plantar reflex should integrate at about the same time, between 4 – 6 months. The Palmar and Plantar reflexes are part of a group of reflexes that develop in the uterus and whose common characteristic is to grasp. The Palmar and Plantar reflexes should be integrated between 5 – 6 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms; Palmar Plantar Both the Palmar and Plantar reflexes are thought to be a continuation of an earlier stage of human evolution, when it was necessary for the baby to cling to its mother for safety. If retained beyond the first few months, these reflexes can impede independent finger and toe movement, affecting fine motor skills such as writing. This reflexes wriggling motion appears to take an active role in the birth process, with movements of the hip helping the baby to work its way down the birth canal. The Spinal Galant Reflex should be integrated between 12 – 13 months, retention may present as any of the following symptoms: The Spinal Galant reflex may be activated by light pressure in the lower back. In the classroom, just leaning back against the chair may activate the reflex and wriggling in bed whilst asleep may cause bed wetting. The TLR involves the vestibular system and the sense of balance and position in space and the vestibular interaction with other senses. The reflex should be fully integrated by the end of the first year of life. The Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex may present itself in the following: If the Tonic Labyrinthine reflex is not integrated it will constantly disturb the sense of balance and the integration with other sensory systems. This has an effect on reading skills and can cause car sickness. The STNR is helps the baby with the action of crawling and to start tracking, as well as establishing contralateral movement. The Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex should be integrated between 12 – 13 months, and may present as any of the following symptoms; Many children have one or two reflexes that have not been integrated and may be functioning well. It is only when there is a cluster of reflexes that have not been integrated that problems begin to present themselves in the form of feeding issues, emotional issues , learning issues and behavioural issues.
The Fear Paralysis begins to function very early after conception and should normally be integrated before birth. It can be characterised by withdrawal, reluctance at being involved in anything new, fear of different circumstances, clinginess, timidity etc.
The Fear Paralysis Reflex may present in any of the following symptoms;
This reflex holds the child in a flight and fight response. The reflex has to cover all eventualities so the child’s sympathetic hormonal and neurological response is activated, preparing the body to protect itself. It is the reflex that allows the body to take the first breath of life automatically.
How does The Child Centre Method help with Retained Primitive Reflexes?
The Child Centre Method uses physical movement capacity tests to determine the child’s issues and the Primitive Reflexes involved.
When these have been accurately determined, a unique plan can be created for the child. The plan is determined by selecting elements of the program to suit the specific needs of the child.
Possible outcomes from the Child Centre Method Program
Concentration Outcomes
- Improved organisation and planning
- Less forgetful
- Less easily distracted
- Sitting calmly, and reduced figiting
- Attention span increase
Social Outcomes
- Easier to make and keep friends
- Smiles more
- Enjoys playtime more
- Mixing better and no longer standing on the periphery of the playground or classroom
Co-Ordination Outcomes
- Ease when climbing stairs
- Easier to learn how to tie shoelaces
- Better posture when walking and running
- Improved sports skills
- Easier to learn how to swim
- Reduced clumsiness
e.g. bumping into objects and/or falling - Improved general balance
Behavioural and Emotional Outcomes
- Improved Self Esteem
- Reduction in Anxiety
- Calmer reaction to difficult situations
- Improved self confidence
- Behaves relevant to age
Reading & Writing Outcomes
- Reduce symptoms of Dyslexia
- Improved speed and quality of writing and motor skills
- Improved speech and hearing
- Improved reading
- Improved spelling
- Good working memory
- Improved pencil grip
- Eliminates turning of copies to write at an angle
- Improved transcription from board to copy
- Improved maths and time management