Relationship between primitive reflexes and fine motor skills in children with specific learning disorders

One of the most important problems in children with learning disabilities is weakness in fine motor skills. This highlights problems associated with learning difficulties and other activities of daily life and must be considered in treatment and rehabilitation programs. The present study examined the relationship between the persistence of primary reflexes and fine motor skills, in children with specific learning disorders.
In this cross - sectional study, 39 children with learning disability aged 9-7 years old were selected randomly for the target group and 38 healthy children aged 7-9 years old were matched with target group in age, sex and educational status were selected as control group. Primitive reflexes include Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex and Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex were evaluated and for the fine motor, Purdue pegboard test was used.
The results showed the persistence of primary reflexes in target group (p0.01).
Persistence of primary reflexes in children with learning disabilities can lead to poor performance of fine motor skills, and thus offering treatment plans for primary reflex inhibition can be useful to improve motor function in these children. Also it seems that persistence of ATNR effects on fine motor skills and inhibition of this reflex can improve fine motor skills.