Why Your Child Needs to Bite Things (Including YOU!)

There are three primitive reflexes associated with the need to bite, chew and suck and sensory seeking behaviour around the mouth.  The first and one of my favourite reflexes because it has so many interesting characteristics to it is the Babkin Reflex, the second is the Rooting Reflex and the third is the Suck Reflex. And these explain why your chid needs to bite things (including you!)

The Babkin Reflex connects the mouth to the hands and feet, when a baby nurses at the breast, the Babkin stimulates the hands to knead the breast to encourage milk supply.  The Babkin Reflex teaches the baby to let go (the Palmer Grasp teaches the baby to hold on).  When the Babkin is retained it has lots of characteristic symptoms associated with the ability to let go or not.  It’s the reflex associated with hoarding and collecting, friendship problems because of clingyness but also manipulative behaviour.  It has close links with the Moro Reflex (the baby startle reflex) , which is important for sensory integration. The Babkin helps develop  the sensory motor system complex, so sensory seeking through biting and the compulsion to bring the hand to the mouth are part of this reflex being active.  It also affects movement in the temperomandibular joint, which biting can help to relieve.  When the Babkin is retained you see nail biting, thumb sucking and anything that compulsively brings the hand to the mouth such as chewing all sorts of non food things, smoking and compulsive eating.

The Rooting Reflex is the reflex that helps the baby find the nipple to feed, if you stroke a baby’s cheek, they will turn their head towards the stroke and open their mouth ready to feed.  If the reflex is retained it can cause problems with closing the mouth properly, sensitivity around the mouth and difficulties articulating speech.  It can create a tendency for saliva to pool at the front of the mouth and excessive dribbling.  The Rooting Reflex will trigger thumb sucking in the womb which leads to the Suck Reflex.

The Suck Reflex is present from 36 weeks pregnancy and allows the baby to press the nipple against the roof of the

mouth with their tongue to feed.  It helps to get the baby ready for chewing solid food and for speech.  If the Suck Reflex is reta

ined it will cause nail biting and thumbsucking, like the Babkin Reflex.  It will also triggers sucking and biting of sleeves, collars and other articles of clothing.  So if your child comes home from school with their cuffs all chewed away, this is the culprit.  The difference between the Suck Reflex and the Babkin Reflex is that Babkin is hand to mouth and Suck is mouth to hand.

These reflexes can be integrated as part of primitive reflex movement program but massaging the face around the mouth, massaging the hands and lots of games using the hands, playing with lots of textures of putty, sand, mud and games using pegs to pick things up.

If you would like to know more about primitive reflex integration or in training in primitive reflex integration have a look at my website www.OrganisedMind.co.uk