Relationship of Postural Reflexes to Learning Disabilities

Compared the prevalence of abnormal reflex responses in 38 normal 2nd graders and in 20 learning disabled 6-13 yr. olds. The learning disabled Ss had significantly more abnormal reflex responses than the normals (p < .02). Some of the normal Ss exhibited abnormal reflex responses and others exhibited no abnormal reflexes. Ss who had no abnormal reflex responses scored higher on the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) than did Ss who had abnormal responses. This correlation was significant for the Spelling test (p < .01), approached significance in the Reading test, but failed to reach significance in the Arithmetic test. Boys in this group had significantly more abnormal reflex responses than the girls in the same class.