Root and Suck
The words seem stuck somewhere in the back of her throat, stammering and stuttering as she tries to express herself. His pen cap is crushed, the result of constant absent-minded chewing in the classroom. She soothes herself to sleep with her thumb in her mouth. Overeating patterns, smoking or vaping addictions and other oral fixations are the sign of immature reflexes. Both stimulation seeking and sensitivity in the mouth region is closely associated with grasping reflexes present immediate at birth.
Grasping reflexes originate in utero but peak at birth and play a role in the integration of the second stage of Moro. Infants begin to explore their world with their mouths and hands, responding to stimuli with curling or grasping movements, or with their mouths turning and sucking.
Our Root reflex is present as newborns seek nourishment in an unfamiliar environment. The mother’s breastmilk is a smell that is familiar and grounding to an infant, guiding their movement. When the corner of an infant’s mouth is stimulated, her head turns to the source as her mouth opens. This reflex plays an important role in locating food and is most active in those critical moments after birth. The complimentary reflex, Suck, works in conjunction with the Rooting reflex to obtain that nourishment. When the middle of the top lip is stimulated, the infant seeks to attach to a nipple, pushing her tongue upwards and sucking while breath and swallowing simultaneously.
We frequently speak about the importance of immediate bonding with the mother following delivery and those critical moments when breastfeeding releases the feeling of safety for an infant in a new environment. By feeding and embrace, we’re moving successfully through the stages of Moro from high alert fling to comfort, cling and grasping to the mother’s chest and nipple.
Retained Root/Suck reflexes may contribute to long-term speech and articulation difficulties as well as more complex challenges with connections to others. An active rooting reflex may result in hypersensitivity to touch on the face, while an active suck reflex may result in close talkers and the failure to maintain boundaries in terms of personal space.
Retained Root/Suck reflexes may contribute to long-term speech and articulation difficulties as well as more complex challenges with connections to others. An active rooting reflex may result in hypersensitivity to touch on the face, while an active suck reflex may result in close talkers and the failure to maintain boundaries in terms of personal space.
