Abstract:

Introduction:
The primary (primitive) reflexes (Moro Reflex, Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex, Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, Spinal Galant Reflex, and Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex) begin to develop during the prenatal period. They help the child with childbirth and with adaptation to a new environment. With the gradual maturation of the central nervous system, they should be gradually inhibited. However, due to the influence of many factors, they may retain. If more than one reflex is retained, such condition may have a negative effect on daily lives of any person. The negative consequences of such persistence of the retained primary reflexes may interfere with preschool and primary school competences which are needed for appropriate handwriting, reading, as well as communication ability and competence (see e.g. [1]; [2]). They have also a certain diagnostic value in early detection of serious neurological disorders prevalence, such cerebral palsy ([3]), etc.

Methodology:
The aim of our research is to find out whether primary reflexes persist in children with communication disorder and whether specific reflexes are related to a certain type of impaired communication skills (communication disability). The pilot study was performed on 60 children with communication disorder (30 children with speech sound disorder and 30 children with specific language impairment) aged 5 to 10 years.

Results:
Through a detailed diagnostic, we found that all children with communication disorder in the research sample have a problem with balance. More than one primary reflex persisted in all diagnosed children. The most common persistent reflexes are the Moro reflex and the Asymmetric Tonic Neck reflex.

Conclusions:
The combination of persistent primary reflexes varied. There was no typical combination for each type of diagnosis. In children with specific language impairment, we observed a higher rate than the persistence of reflex in children with speech sound of speech (articulation) disorder (such apraxia of speech etc.). In the discussion on the implementation of the results into education process we deal with the most important issues for the collaboration of the preschool and primary school teacher and speech language therapist or special education teacher.

References:
[1] P. Andrich, M. B. Shihada, M. K. Vinci, S. L. Wrenhaven, and G. D. Goodman, “Statistical relationships between visual skill deficits and retained primitive reflexes in children,” in Optometry & Visual Performance, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 106–111, 2018.
[2] Z. Gieysztor, E Z. Gieysztor, A. M. Choińska, and. M. Paprocka-Borowicz, “Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children,” in Archives of medical science: AMS 2018, vol .14, no.1, pp. 167-173, doi:10.5114/aoms.2016.60503, 2018.
[3] S. Handryastuti, G. Fadiana, S. Ismael, S. Sastroasmoro, A. Aminulah, F. H. Idris, A. Saptogino, and S. Hapsara, “Early detection of cerebral palsy in high-risk infants: diagnostic value of primitive and developmental reflexes as well as ultrasound,” in Paediatrica Indonesiana, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 5–12, doi:10.14238/pi58.1.2018.5-12, 2018.

Keywords:

Primary reflexes, special education, speech language therapy, logopedics, communication disability, evaluation, preschool education, primary school education.