Therapy

Processing speed is how quickly babies understand their surroundings. Some babies may need more time to respond. Support your baby by breaking tasks into smaller steps, repeating activities daily, and using visual aids. Pay attention to their cues and allow extra learning time without pressure. Collaborate with knowledgeable therapists for support. Celebrate every bit of progress, as slow and steady growth builds strong brains.

Primitive reflexes are automatic baby movements that usually disappear as the brain matures. When they don’t integrate properly, they can affect motor and cognitive skills. Many kids with Down syndrome show these retained reflexes, which can make balance, coordination, and attention harder. Therapies using gentle movements and sensory experiences to “turn off” these old reflexes and may be able to help kids move and learn better.

People have asked me about the recent clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 study where scientists...

The ATNR is often referred to as the fencing reflex Image credit: Mikael Häggström, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 ( link ) How to...