The Development of Educational Materials to Facilitate Primitive Reflex Assessment and Intervention in Occupational Therapy Practice

The retention of primitive reflexes past infancy has negative effects on the physical, sensory, and cognitive development of children. Primitive reflexes are an essential topic for OT students who are interested in working in pediatrics, however, there are currently no free and accessible continuing education courses that are intended for OT students. The aim of this capstone project was to develop educational materials that will increase the clinical skills of GSU OT students in the area of infant occupational therapy. This capstone project fulfills the ACOTE areas of program development and education. The primary purpose of this project is program development. An online continuing education course was created through the program Canva. Information was collected through a literature review with supporting information from an interview and observations of the site mentor. Educational materials titled “Primitive Reflexes: Retention and Integration in OT Practice,” were created including four modules covering typical primitive reflex integration, retention of primitive reflexes, primitive reflex assessment, and primitive reflex intervention. The program has a potential positive impact on the capacity of GSU OTD students interested in pediatrics in assessment and intervention of primitive reflexes and the potential to improve developmental outcomes for pediatric OT clients.