Spinal Galant Reflex

Checking child's back for scoliosis examination.

The back can be an area of sensitivity for so many people, causing laughter or discomfort with the faintest touch. Muscle tone in the lower spine, and stiffness in the lumbar region of the back, impact posture and postural development throughout life. The integration of the Spinal Galant reflex, with equal strength right and left, side to side, assists in strengthening those muscles surrounding our lower spine region. If there is an imbalance, scoliosis may occur.

Spinal Galant’s primary function is to assist a baby through its birth journey down the mother’s birth canal. The lateral flexion of the lumbar spine occurs with stimulation from contractions. The head and shoulder will shift along with the hips, rotating the whole body at once. The reflex can also be tested on an infant lying on their stomach, with a gentle stroke on the back from the ribs down to the waist, on either side of the spine. 

If Spinal Galant fails to fully integrate, lower back sensitivity may emerge and influence behavior. Itchy, painful or uncomfortable touch along the waist, extreme ticklishness are a few examples. Children may fidget and find clothing tags and waistbands itchy or uncomfortable, a feeling that often leads to fidgeting, lack of focus and distracted behavior as they enter classroom settings.

The linkage between Spinal Galant and auditory processing is also strong, as the spine is a primitive sound conductor, working to process vibrations as sounds in utero.  An immature reflex often shows up with sensory challenges related to loud environments and sudden noises.

Perhaps most examined is the relationship between an immature Spinal Galant reflex and bladder incontinence. The nerve fibers that stimulate the bladder and bowels are in close proximity to the area of the lower back that stimulates the reflex movement. An infant, when stroked along the spine in this same area, may urinate immediately. If the reflex remains unintegrated, this may impact bladder control, leading to bedwetting and accidents for children after the age of five.

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