Ralls Rhythmic Movement

I'm delighted to welcome these lovely people to their RMTi training journey and using the wonderful tools to help others. We had a fascinating two days, doing the L1 and L2 Practicum, after everyone had completed the Theory online, through www.rhythmicmovement.org.
Now we are planning dates for Face the Fear and Level 3.
Next month is a busy one! Off to Slovakia and Czech Republic as well as here in the UK. I also have several INSET trainings lines up, with Morrells Handwriting.

The functions of the Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex.
* Forward TLR - Develop flexor muscle tone
- switch on the Vestibular Nuclei
- switch on proprioception
- engage the core muscles
- visual tracking - down
- spatial awareness top/bottom/front
- head control forwards (from C1-C3)
- independence of leg control from
the waist down, for flexion.
* Backwards TLR - Develop extensor muscle tone
- visual tracking - Up
- spatial awareness top/back
- head control backwards (from
C1-C3)
- indepence of leg control, from the
waist down, for extension.
The integration of TLR is essential for balanced muscle tone in the body. Visual tracking up and down and it is an early developer of depth perception. It plays a major role in vestibular sensory processing, proprioception and spatial awareness. It also plays a role in the development of auditory processing in location of sound, up, down, front and back/behind.
A baby uses this reflex to learn how to lift their head against the pull of gravity.

Try lying on the floor and lifting your head off the floor. Which muscles do you notice are working? How easy/difficult do you find it?
Lift your legs up off the floor.
Which muscles do you use?
Cycle your legs in the air. What do you notice?

Stand up. Look up. Where does your head control come from? Do you notice anything happening in your spine and extensor muscles?
Look down. Where does your head control come from?
Do you notice anything happening in your flexor muscles?

This is so important. If there are motor differences, primitive reflexes have not emerged adequately in the nervous system, to teach the brain how to master motor control. However, with reflex integration, the degree of difficulty can be reduced, with a corresponding improvement in neurological function.

This 2026 commentary in Autism Research is an excellent call to action. "Motor Disorders in Autism: From Comorbidity to Core Criterion" addresses the very real probability that motor differences are fundamental in ASD - something I've been discussing for 2 decades.
Clinical takeaways:
*There is a growing body of evidence suggests that motor differences precede emergence of core autistic traits.
*Motor differences are observed during early infancy and toddler years.
*Motor differences are not incidental; they are the earliest observable indicators of altered neurodevelopment trajectory.
*Movement differences are core characteristics of ASD.
*Movement differences include: delayed milestones, disruptions in gait, toe walking and patterns of upper limb movement.
*Embodied cognition teaches us that differences in sensorimotor development can amplify cognitive differences.
Things I'm thinking about:
*Last month I posted an article indicating the position of the pelvis at 3 months is a strong predictor of further motor development. However early movement assessment takes a good deal of skill and training.
*The article recommends paediatricians complete developmental screenings. I absolutely disagree. Paediatric PTs and OTs with expertise in early movement analysis are the most appropriate choice for movement screening.
Please share this article with every professional you know who is providing support to autistic children and their families.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42297632/p

Hello everyone!
No obligation. 🙏
A small request...:
Would anyone be willing to share this post?
It's Special Education Awareness Week, Autism Awareness Week, ADHD Awareness Week, Dyslexia Awareness Week, and Awareness Month for all these challenges.
In honor of all the children who strive every day to succeed and their parents who do everything to help them daily. And even those who have grown up and are still struggling.
🙏🏻
(Just copy and paste)
Solidarity ✊
Thank you 🙏🏼

Think about that - this is PRE smart phone...Comment below if you think this number has gone up or down since then...

I had a very interesting day, visiting a local school to observe pupils at work in their classrooms. I was astounded by what a small percentage of the pupils actually had sufficient postural stability to be sitting at their desks optimally. We were assessing hand-writing. Whilst hand writing lessons have definitely made a difference across the school, there are still children who are struggling. Postural control is key.
* Weak cores, slumped spines,
* feet hooked around chair legs,
* children shifting significantly to one side,
* children who had heads tilted to one side, because they cannot get their eyes to work together as a team, so they only look with one eye.
* Pupils who admitted they feel pain in their jaws when they write.
* Pupils who say their hands get really tired and ache.
Not to mention the interesting variety of pen grips, in spite of careful teaching.
I'm really looking forward to working with Morrells Handwriting to make a difference to their lives, from next term.
Poor handwriting is merely a symptom of a deeper issue. If we help these children now, we lay stronger foundations for them and their futures.

After a fab two days, teaching the wonderful RMTi course: RMTi for School Readiness, this weekend, I have been blown away by how quickly and enthusiastically the attendees have gone straight into using their new learning, with the children in their care. Well done everyone! 👏👏👏👏👏

➡️ More is not always better.

🪴 In RMTi, we start with what feels easy and build from there.

📣 A stressed system doesn't get stronger. A supported one does.

🔗 Learn more at www.rhythmicmovement.org

BBC News - Number of children getting special educational needs support hits another record high
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4g18gy14no