The Hidden Connection: Could Retained Primitive Reflexes Be the Root of Your Child’s Bedwetting?
How can a chiropractor help with bedwetting? Dr. Marjan Kaveh identifies "retained primitive reflexes," like the Spinal Galant, which cause involuntary bladder contractions. By using targeted brain exercises to integrate these reflexes, the brain matures and nighttime accidents stop without drugs or surgery.
Many parents in Boca Raton and Delray Beach feel a quiet sense of defeat when their child struggles with bedwetting past the age of five. You may have tried limiting water after dinner. You might have tried setting alarms for midnight. Often, these "hardware" fixes do not work because the issue is actually in the "software"—the brain and nervous system.
When a child cannot stay dry at night, it is rarely a behavioral choice. It is a sign that the brain's developmental timeline has hit a snag. As a "Neurological Detective," I look past the bladder to find out why the brain is not sending the right signals. In my clinic on South Dixie Highway, I often find that the root cause is a retained primitive reflex called the Spinal Galant.
The Science of the "Software" Glitch
I often tell my patients that the brain must fire correctly for the body to function. Think of your child’s nervous system like a computer. Primitive reflexes are the starter programs. They are automatic movements that help a baby survive. For example, a baby naturally turns their head when you touch their cheek. That is a reflex.
As a child grows, these programs are supposed to "turn off" so more advanced programs can take over. This is called reflex integration. If these programs stay active, they create "static" in the nervous system.
The Spinal Galant reflex is a major cause of bedwetting. This reflex is triggered by a light touch to the lower back. In an infant, this helps them move. But in a school-aged child, it creates a problem. When your child rolls over in bed and the sheets brush against their back, the reflex "fires." This causes an involuntary contraction of the bladder.
Recent clinical research on primitive reflexes confirms that if these movements stay active past infancy, it can indicate that the central nervous system is struggling to mature. This "glitch" in the software leads to developmental delays that manifest as physical symptoms like bedwetting.
Why the "Wait and See" Method Fails
Many well-meaning people say children will simply grow out of it. However, if a reflex is still active, it means the brain has not fully matured in that area. This can lead to other issues, like trouble sitting still in class or poor focus. Studies on childhood enuresis show that bedwetting often goes hand-in-hand with learning disabilities and attention difficulties because the underlying neurological cause is the same.
In my office, I treat the child, not just the symptom. Many parents come to me after seeing multiple doctors who offered no real answers. This reminds me of Susan Stockdale, one of my adult patients who had seen eight different chiropractors before coming to the Chiropractic Neurology Enhancement Center.
Your child’s bedwetting follows the same rule. We do not just treat the symptom. We stabilize the brain’s firing patterns. Research confirms that "the persistence of these reflexes beyond infancy can indicate central nervous system dysfunction." By integrating these reflexes, we allow the brain to move from a "primitive" state to a mature one.
Understanding the "Inside-Out" Healing Process
In my practice, I focus on "Inside-Out" healing. This means we fix the brain (the software) so the body (the hardware) can heal itself. For a child with a retained Spinal Galant reflex, the body is essentially receiving a "false alarm" every time they move in their sleep.
Traditional chiropractic focuses on the mechanics of the spine. While that is important, chiropractic neurology goes a step further by assessing the brain first. We look at the pons, the cortex, and the cerebellum to see which area is not firing at 100%.
When the brain is balanced, the rest of the body follows. This is why many of our patients report improvements that go far beyond their initial complaint. For instance, Livia Hopkins, another patient of mine, noted that her neurological exercises produced visible improvements in her coordination and stability by the very next session. When we help a child stop bedwetting, we are often also helping them improve their balance, their posture, and their ability to focus in school.
The Path to Dry Nights
When a family visits me, we start with a full pediatric neuro-evaluation. We do not just look at the spine. We look at how the brain and eyes move. We check to see if those baby reflexes are still "on."
The Assessment: I test for the Spinal Galant and Moro reflexes. If a light stroke to the lower back causes the hip to hike, the reflex is still active.
The Brain Training: We use specific, non-invasive exercises to "fire" the pathways that were missed during early development.
The Integration: Once the brain recognizes these movements, the reflex "shuts off." The bladder is no longer being triggered by the bedsheets, and the child finally gains nighttime control.
This approach is grounded in clinical neuroplasticity. We are not using drugs. We are not using surgery. We are simply teaching the brain how to grow up. .
A Hope-Based Invitation for South Florida Parents
If you are tired of the laundry and the frustration of "behavioral" fixes that don't work, I want you to know there is a biological reason for this struggle. It is not your fault. It is not your child's fault. Their brain is simply waiting for the right signal to move forward.
In my office on South Dixie Highway, we use science and compassion to help families find answers. We take the time to listen and provide the full attention your child deserves. We focus on results that last because we are changing the way the brain works.
Ready to see how your child’s brain is firing? Schedule a comprehensive pediatric neuro-evaluation and let’s find the root cause together.
Chiropractic Neurology Enhancement Center
Dr. Marjan Kaveh, DACNB
1600 S Dixie Hwy Suite 402, Boca Raton Florida 33432
(Serving Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and the surrounding South Florida communities)
Find the root cause. Fix the software. Heal the hardware.
References & Authority Backing:
Pubmed: Effectiveness of a Single Functional Neurology Intervention on Primitive Reflex Integration Dysfunction in Children Effectiveness of a Single Functional Neurology Intervention on Primitive Reflex Integration Dysfunction in Children
Pubmed: New insights in treatment of monosymptomatic enuresis New insights in treatment of monosymptomatic enuresis
