08/21/2026
This may look like a simple movement activity—but I’m watching how the top and bottom halves of the body work together. đź§
During the seal walk forward, I’m asking him to keep his head, arms, and hips extended at the same time. But notice what his lower body wants to do: his hips and knees flex as his head and upper body extend.
That pattern gives me information about the STNR (Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex).
When STNR is still strongly influencing movement, the upper and lower halves of the body can have a hard time moving independently. Changes in head position can automatically influence what the arms and legs want to do.
Then we reverse the challenge: crawling backward while looking down at the spot it card, asking the head and arms to work in a pattern that requires even more dissociation and motor control.
A retained STNR pattern can show up beyond crawling. We may see challenges with:
• sitting upright at a desk without slouching or constantly changing position
• keeping the legs still while the upper body is working
• coordinating the upper and lower halves of the body
• crawling and other reciprocal movement patterns
• postural stability and endurance
• hand-eye coordination
• shifting visual attention between near and far
• copying from the board to paper
• sustained attention during seated work
This is why I care so much about how a child moves—not just whether they can complete the activity.
Movement gives us a window into how the nervous system is organizing itself. đź§
