Short-term effects of craniosacral therapy and rhythmic movement training on developmental assessment scores and primitive reflex expression in typically developing children: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction Early neurodevelopment is a critical determinant of lifelong health, learning capacity and psychosocial functioning. Subtle neurodevelopmental features, such as residual primitive reflex expression, may be observed in otherwise typically developing children and could be associated with variability in developmental assessment performance. This study aimed to compare the short-term effects of Craniosacral Therapy (CST) and Rhythmic Movement Training (RMT) on developmental assessment scores and primitive reflex expression in typically developing children. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted including 120 typically developing children aged 3 to 8 years, with no diagnosed neurological disorders. Participants were randomly allocated to four groups: CST, RMT, CST placebo and RMT placebo. All groups receive weekly sessions for seven weeks. Developmental performance was assessed using the Battelle Developmental Inventory, second edition (BDI-2) and primitive reflex expression was evaluated using a standardized clinical protocol. Results Children in the CST group showed greater short-term improvements in standardized BDI-2 scores compared with their placebo control. Reductions in the clinical expression of selected primitive reflexes were also observed in the CST group. No statistically significant differences were found between the RMT group and its placebo condition. All findings reflect short-term changes in developmental assessment performance and clinical observations. Conclusion CST was associated with short-term improvements in developmental assessment scores and reduced reflex-related responses under standardized clinical conditions. These findings should be interpreted cautiously and considered preliminary. Further research using objective outcome measures and long-term follow-up is required before drawing conclusions regarding clinical effectiveness or preventive applications. Clinical trial registration https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05340049?term=AREA%5BBasicSearch%5D(AREA%5BBasicSearch%5D(egfrm))&intr=NCT05340049&rank=1 , identifier NCT05340049.