Meet the Moro Reflex!

Everyone has their quirks. Me, well, I jump at the sound of a car horn like a character from a horror movie, even when someone tells me it’s going to happen. This my friends is called the Moro- Reflex. According to medical textbooks, the moro or “ startle reflex”, which all babies are born with, goes away after birth. However, this reflex doesn’t completely disappear in individuals affected by Cerebral Palsy, which can explain our heightened, jumpy responses to loud or unexpected stimuli.

I know this probably sounds crazy, but even the sound of someone coughing can cause me to jump out of my skin. It’s not because I am scared. It’s just the way my brain works. I decided to write this blog, because once people know that my jumpiness is actually a side effect of CP, they tend to do what they can to minimize the chances of me spazing out, but it is inevitable, and there is absolutely nothing I nor anyone else can do to change it. It is just a part of the package.

I have learned that when you are able to find the humour in your challenges, it makes life so much easier and a lot more fun, too. I mean, let’s face it, it must be pretty funny watching me jump out of my skin.

So, please don’t refrain from honking the horn when you see me rolling down the street. I know you’re just trying to say hello!