It's a Hand to Mouth Existence

The relationship in the brain between movement of the hand and movement of the mouth is well documented. Just think of places in the world where people can't speak without moving their hands. The sensory motor cortices (or cortex for the grammatically simple) have large and closely related areas dealing with the sensory intake and motor output of the hand and mouth. At the base of the left motor cortex is the Broca area in the frontal lobe for moving the mouth for speech, right next door is the hand to mouth coordination.

The Grasp Reflex and Babkin Palmomental Reflex are primary reflexes stored in the brain stem. Babkin activates by touch and stretch in the palm and the mouth opens and the mouth moves toward the hand. When I see children with writing issues I usually see a combination of these two reflexes. However handwriting includes more than just hand reflexes and can include differentiation of wrist, elbow and shoulders.

In talks with others in the field, some people combine Babkin and Hand to Mouth Reflexes. Some people combine all types of grasps into the Grasp Reflex. I didn't have much to say except all the relationships of the hand and mouth are complex. But then I had a new experience.

I rarely work with adults in reflex integration for many reasons; the main one being they are harder to deal with. However, a young adult came in to see me with the main issue being compulsive nail biting. I checked Babkin; I checked Grasp. They seemed OK. I was confused. I try a new tact. Maybe elbow bending is the issue with Hands Pulling. A bit retained, but not enough to answer the question. I decide to check Parachute Reflex. Oh my! The client fell toward the wall and caught himself with his hands in the Hanging Grasp. Then it hit me! Nail biting and Hanging Grasp are related if you add the Hand to Mouth Reflex. So Hanging Grasp is not Grasp and Babkin is not Hand to Mouth.

I came up with a handy isometric for both of these reflex and we'll see how these work for nail biters and kids who still put stuff in the mouth.

Triclosan: Our Germ-proof Bubble Breaks

Triclosan is a pesticide that was introduced in 1969. Fast forward to 2010 and it is a nearly ubiquitous antibiotic additive in liquid soaps, hand sanitizers, toothpaste, make-up and even clothes and toys. It has been suspected of disrupting the endocrine system, especially in development for at least five years. And to make matters worse, Triclosan is not removed or filtered out of our water sources and accumulates there, making our water toxic as well. 75% of the population have Triclosan in their urine. Because of the connection to hormone and neurochemical regulation, it is being looked at as one of the environmental assaults that may increase autism. Thyroid issues have also been linked. There are researchers (from the Soap and Detergent Association) who pooh-pooh all concerns. The EPA has stated that recent research raises "valid concern" about the chemical.

One last note: just use liquid Castille Soap for hands, faces, hair, pets, floors, counters, etc. The research states that regular hand washing with soap and water is as effective as our chemical bombardments.