Rhythmic Movement Training is a practice dedicated to bringing integration and balance to the reflexes of children and adults with specific learning challenges, including ADHD/ADD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Co-ordination difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Parkinson’s disease. It can also help people with mild to severe emotional and behavioural challenges, anxiety, panic and general life overwhelm.

The practice evolved from the studying of movements and reflex patterns babies naturally make from conception through to walking. Integrate the reflexes and many learning challenges disappear. The results are outstanding.

The Cerebellum, The Basal Ganglia and the RAS, The Limbic System, The Neocortex, The Prefrontal Cortex.

The Primitive and Postural reflexes are the foundation building blocks of brain development that start a few weeks after conception and should be integrated by the age of 4 - 5 years, before going into the learning environment.

Asymmetrical Tonic Neck reflex	An example of an un-integrated STNR
The Moro reflex	The Babinski reflex

The Primitive reflexes develop the motor movement beginning in utero and during the first few months after the birth. The Primitive reflexes and the essential vestibular system are the first to develop and need to integrate sufficiently before the Postural reflexes can do their job efficiently. An un-integrated Fear Paralysis reflex and/or the Moro reflex ( known as the “survival” reflexes) can have severe effects on learning abilities, phobias, behaviour, health and many life skills. Symptoms can clearly be seen in children and adults. Using RMT can make profound and positive changes.

The Postural reflexes develop muscle tone and are life long in supporting our general upright posture and balance with gravity. Some neck and back problems eg Scoliosis, upper back, lumbar, hip and walking problems etc, could be due to un-integrated postural reflexes. Improving the reflexes can improve muscle tone and difficulties will clear naturally.

If the reflexes have not been able to integrate efficiently, for which there are various reasons, the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, vestibular and motor senses will not develop properly. If any of the primitive and postural reflexes are un-integrated, this can affect further developmental stages of perception, language, speech, conceptualisation and academia. Any un-integrated senses can affect the true potential and performance in the individual and can be carried into adulthood and the workplace.

Some people do finds ways of compensating for their difficulties but will mean they have to put a lot more effort in to achieve. They may reach a point when in the workplace and put under a lot of pressure and stress that their compensation strategies disappear and let them down. Breakdowns, overwhelm, bad behaviour, ill health and other stress related symptoms will start to show in the workplace.

We are born with an inborn movement and reflex programme and scientists now know movement stimulates the neural connections to improve communication throughout the different areas of the brain. Baby movements stimulate the reflexes that helps develop the Visual, Auditory, Motor, Vestibular and Kinesthetic senses essential to all life skills.

Yes. The Basal Ganglia and the RAS needs to have had enough stimulation, as this area helps to keep your attention, manage your fine motor abilities and to be able to sit still for any length of time. Children with ADHD, the Basal Ganglia and Prefrontal cortex may not be sufficiently connected. Using the Rhythmic Movements to integrate these two essential areas should help children and adults with ADHD without the need for medication to be given to control behaviour.

The Rhythmic Movement Training programme is an outstanding technique to help stimulate and integrate any late development of the reflexes for any age and any ability. Adults and children with severe disabilities greatly benefit from these movements as many won’t have been able to stimulate the reflexes naturally or because of damage to the brain for various reasons.

The rocking and sliding movements stimulate the senses and help develop the nerve networks from the Cerebellum to the Basal Ganglia ( Brain Stem) through to the Limbic system (the emotional brain), the Neocortex (The two hemispheres) through to the Prefrontal cortex. If the person cannot do certain movements rhythmically, smoothly and symmetrically, this is a clear indication of a lack of integration and by doing the movements passively should start to stimulate and integrate that reflex. Some of the movements are done isometrically, which has a stronger effect. All have a powerful and positive effect and should improve development, helping children and adults to reach expected milestones. 

I was trained by Dr Harald Blomberg, the originator of RMT.  He is a Swedish psychiatrist and has been researching and working with the reflexes very successfully with children and adults for over 25 years. He lectures all over the world.

His website for your interest is : www.haraldblomberg.com or www.rhythmicmovement.com