Headrighting Reflex
The headrighting reflex is actually a postural reflex that should be present in children and adults rather than a primitive reflex that should be integrated. It is initiated through stimulation of the receptors of the labyrinth, causing changes in tone of the neck muscles that bring the head into the appropriate position. Svea Gold noticed that this reflex was not present in all the children she worked with. In fact, she believed that this was the singular most important reflex to test to see if there were other neurological issues. In her article, The Mad Librarian Strikes Again: Using the headrighting reflex to check for warning symptoms that something is wrong with the child’s “gaze control” and how to proceed from there, Svea Gold wrote "In a good headrighting reflex, the head tries to maintain a steady vertical position to the target. If this does not happen, there is an immediate detriment to the child. With any change in position, the eyes are forced to make the adjustment that ideally the head should make. This puts the child under strain. Not only do the eyes have to do much extra work, but if the target is up close the background always shifts with every move, and if the person looks at afar away target the foreground moves. This always makes the child just a little dizzy. Chances are then that child stops looking at the distance altogether, the optometrist slaps glasses on him – and of course that does not give the child a headrighting reflex" (p. 5).
The Headrighting Reflex actually consists of the Labyrinthine Headrighting Reflex as well as the Oculo-headrighting Reflex. The first is with the eyes closed and the latter is with visual support.
Knowing if the Headrighting Reflex is present
a) While a child is sitting in a chair at his desk, direct his attention to an object that is in front of him at eye level. Gently move his body to the right and observe his head. If it remains in the vertical position, then the headrighting reflex is present. If it falls with the shoulder, then it is not. Move the child to the left, forward and backwards too. Sometimes the reflex is present in one direction and not the other.
b) Repeat above with eyes closed, asking child to imagine seeing the object in his mind.
Note the location of the head in each of the 4 positions. Also, when the eyes are closed, notice where the eyes seem to be fixated. Also note if the child is compensating, which is different from automatically righting. Children may be able to compensate when their eyes are open more than when their eyes are closed and sense of space is lost.
(more detailed description of testing for the Headrighting Reflex is found in the article mentioned above).
Exercise to integrate the Headrighting Reflex –
a) Have child look at object at eye level and practice moving from left to right keeping head still
b) Same as above, but move the child from left to right, rather than him moving himself.
c) Homolateral flip-flops (then building to crosslateral when homolateral is automatic), as described in the bilateral integration section.
The Headrighting Reflex actually consists of the Labyrinthine Headrighting Reflex as well as the Oculo-headrighting Reflex. The first is with the eyes closed and the latter is with visual support.
Knowing if the Headrighting Reflex is present
a) While a child is sitting in a chair at his desk, direct his attention to an object that is in front of him at eye level. Gently move his body to the right and observe his head. If it remains in the vertical position, then the headrighting reflex is present. If it falls with the shoulder, then it is not. Move the child to the left, forward and backwards too. Sometimes the reflex is present in one direction and not the other.
b) Repeat above with eyes closed, asking child to imagine seeing the object in his mind.
Note the location of the head in each of the 4 positions. Also, when the eyes are closed, notice where the eyes seem to be fixated. Also note if the child is compensating, which is different from automatically righting. Children may be able to compensate when their eyes are open more than when their eyes are closed and sense of space is lost.
(more detailed description of testing for the Headrighting Reflex is found in the article mentioned above).
Exercise to integrate the Headrighting Reflex –
a) Have child look at object at eye level and practice moving from left to right keeping head still
b) Same as above, but move the child from left to right, rather than him moving himself.
c) Homolateral flip-flops (then building to crosslateral when homolateral is automatic), as described in the bilateral integration section.
Works Cited
Gold, S. (2006). The Mad Librarian Strikes Again: Using the headrighting reflex to check for warning symptoms that something is wrong with the child’s“gaze control” and how to proceed from there. Speech for AAHD conference. retrieved from http://www.fernridgepress.com/Headrighting.Reflex.S.Gold2.pdf.
Gold, S. (2006). The Mad Librarian Strikes Again: Using the headrighting reflex to check for warning symptoms that something is wrong with the child’s“gaze control” and how to proceed from there. Speech for AAHD conference. retrieved from http://www.fernridgepress.com/Headrighting.Reflex.S.Gold2.pdf.
