What is "Neurodevelopmental Therapy"?

An evidence-based form of movement therapy that considers whether some of the difficulties you or your child are experiencing might be because of how your brain and nervous system developed at a very, early stage. If that is the case, through a process of very specific, slow, repetitive exercises we can develop or 'integrate' the nervous system and by doing so, improving your associated difficulties.

What kinds of "difficulties" can neurodevelopmental therapy support?

I support a lot of children and adults with diagnoses (including ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ASD) as well as people who don't have a diagnosis. I'm most interested in the day to day 'symptoms' that get in the way and what might be causing them. These include:

Emotional Dysregulation - Anxiety, mood swings, oversensitivity to noise/light/smell/touch, poor stress tolerance.

Physical and Motor Difficulties: handwriting issues, poor coordination, difficulty crossing midline, poor fine motor control, poor gross motor control (e.g. catching balls), speech/ articulation issues, balance problems, travel sickness, low muscle tone, poor spatial awareness

Academic difficulties: reading, writing, maths, short term memory 

Attention difficulties: fidgeting, difficulty sitting still, challenges with focus and processing

Who can do a programme?

• Children (6 +)

• Adolescents

• Adults 

What changes will I notice after a programme?

It depends on what is identified in your assessment as the results and therefore the changes I'd expect to see vary according to the person. In my experience, I have seen improvements in clients emotional regulation (e.g. less anxiety, less sensitiviy to noise/ light/ sound/ touch, improved ability to calm down); coordination and balance (performance in sport) speech and language ability; Interoception (e.g. bedwetting); Academic ability (e.g. reading, writing, maths), social engagement and self-confidence amongst others.

What's the science behind this? 

Another term for neurodevelopmental 'delay' (i.e. immaturities in how the nervous system develops) is 'retained primitive reflexes'. Primitive reflexes are automatic, involuntary movements present at birth that help an infant survive. The repetition of these movement patterns is instrumental in the very first stages of our nervous system development. Examples include sucking, grasping, and startling. As the brain develops (especially the cortex), these reflexes are meant to integrate meaning higher brain centres take control and our relationship to our body and the world 'matures'. Paediatricians check to make sure they are present at birth however, there is no formal process to assess whether they have gone away or, 'integrated' at the appropriate time. That's where neurodevelopmental practitioners like myself come in handy.

When a reflex is retained or 'un-integrated' it stays active past infancy (typically beyond 6–12 months). This suggests the nervous system has not fully matured and so, there is less activity available in the higher centres of the brain responsible for functions like attention, regulation, planning, organisation etc. 

An assessment process is essentially an attempt to trigger the reflex response. If it's still present or 'retained' (which it shouldn't be beyond infancy) research has shown that through neuroplasticity, we can rewire the brain through slow, precise and repetitive movements at a later stage in life. By developing these neural pathways and increasing the activity in higher centres of the brain improvements can be seen in motor, language and cognitive ability.

How much does a programme cost?

The initial consultation has been discounted to £80. The assessments cost £275 including a written report and report reading and subsequent reviews are £120 per month. Each stage is paid for in installments and the cost of home visits varies depending on location.

Books

• The Well Balanced Child by Sally Goddard Blythe 

• Movements that Heal by Harald Blomberg & Moira Dempsey 

• Integrating Primitive Reflexes Through Play and Exercise by Kokeb Girma McDonald 

• Beyond The Sea Squirt: a Journey with Reflexes by Moira Dempsey 

• Attention, Balance and Coordination by Sally Goddard-Blythe 

• The Symphony of Reflexes by Bonnie L. Brandes 

• Is that my child? By Dr Robin Pauc

Articles

Effectiveness of a Functional Neurology Intervention on Primitive Reflex Integration (Rey-Mota et al, 2025)

Primitive Reflex Integration and Reading Achievement in the Classroom (Grigg et al, 2023)

Retained Primitive Reflexes and Potential for Intervention in Autistic Spectrum Disorders (Melillo et al, 2022)

Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children (Gieysztor, 2013)