Infant Reflexes

Importance of Infant Reflexes Reflexive movements occur during the last 4 months of prenatal life and the first 4 months after birth Absence or persistence beyond a given time frame signifies dysfunction of the CNS

Infant vs. Lifespan Reflexes Most infant reflexes do not last beyond the first year Reflexes that endure are called lifespan reflexes
Knee-jerk reflex Flexor-withdrawal reflex

Role of the Reflexes in Survival

Infant reflexes are called primitive reflexes Primitive reflexes are repressed by 6 months of age Primitive reflexes are important for
Protection Nutrition
Sucking reflex Rooting reflex

Primitive Reflexes ~ Palmar Grasp

The palmar grasp reflex is one of the most noticeable reflexes to emerge When an object is placed in the infant's hand and strokes their palm, the fingers will close and they will grasp it Leads to voluntary reaching and grasping
May predict handedness in adulthood

Primitive Reflexes ~ Sucking Occurs pre-and postnatally Stimulated by touching the lips Helps child find nourishment

Primitive Reflexes ~ Rooting

Helps the baby locate nourishment Turn his head toward anything that strokes his cheek or mouth Usually works in conjunctions with sucking reflex
Stimulus ~ touching the cheek

Primitive Reflexes ~ Moro Reflex

Palm of hand lifts back of head Hand is removed suddenly so that head begins to fall
Head is supported

Moro reflex precedes the startle reflex and causes the arms and legs to extend immediately rather than flex Disappears at 4-6 months

Primitive Reflexes ~ Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex (Fencing Posture) When the child's head is turned to the side, the arm on that side will straighten and the opposite arm will bend Facilitates the development of bilateral body awareness

Primitive Reflexes ~ Plantar Grasp

Plantar flexion of the foot (toes move away from the shin, and curl down The toes appear to be grasping Stimulus is touching the ball of the foot This reflex must disappear before the baby can stand or walk

Primitive Reflexes ~ Parachute

suspending the child by the trunk and by suddenly producing forward flexion as if the child were to fall spontaneously extends the upper extremities as a protective mechanism appears before the onset of walking

Primitive Reflexes
Reflex Onset Fully Developed
32 wk 36 wk 37 wk 1 mo 1011 mo

Duration
23 mo Less prominent after 1 mo 56 mo 67 mo Remains throughout life

Palmar grasp 28 wk Rooting Moro Tonic neck Parachute 32 wk 2832 wk 35 wk 78 mo