From the very beginning—even before birth—your child’s nervous system is developing through movement.

By just a few weeks into pregnancy, babies begin sensing and moving on their own. These early movements aren’t reactions to the outside world, but built-in patterns that play a vital role in shaping the brain. They help form the connections that support balance, coordination, and learning.

When a baby is born, they already have nearly all the nerve cells they’ll ever use—but the brain keeps growing rapidly through experience. The first 5–6 years of life are especially important. What fuels this growth? Simple: movement and sensory input.

Touch, sight, sound, balance, and body awareness all help strengthen the brain’s connections. Early reflexes like sucking or turning toward a touch are part of this. As your child grows, these automatic responses should naturally fade, making room for more advanced movement and behavior.

Why It Matters?

There are three key types of early movement patterns:

• Elementary movement patterns – Triggered by gravity, they lay the foundation for posture and walking.

• Primitive reflexes – Automatic survival responses that should fade as the nervous system matures.

• Postural reflexes – Develop after birth to support balance, strength, and confident movement.
  
  

When these patterns don’t develop or integrate properly, a child may struggle with focus, coordination, or learning later on. Conditions like ADHD, anxiety, bed-wetting, or clumsiness often trace back to immature reflexes.