Infant Reflexes

Question 1

Rooting Reflex

Answer 1

-Purpose: searching for food
- Stimulus: stroking side of cheek/mouth
- Reaction: head turns towards stimulus
- Develops: 28 weeks g.
- Integrates: 3 months

Question 2

Three types of postural reactions

Answer 2

1. righting reactions
2. postural reactions
3. protective reactions

Question 3

Righting reactions

Answer 3

Support positioning of the head vertically in space, alignment of the head and trunk and alignment of the trunk and limbs

Question 4

Equilibrium reactions

Answer 4

provide balance when the center of gravity is disturbed

Question 5

Protective reactions

Answer 5

involves movements of extension of the extremities in the same direction as the displacing force. Emerge first in the front, then the side, then backwards.

Question 6

Suck-swallow Reflex

Answer 6

-Purpose: safe ingestion of food
- Stimulus: finger in baby’s mouth
- Reaction: rhythmic sucking pattern
- Develops: 28 weeks g.
- Integrates: 2-5 months

Question 7

Traction Reflex

Answer 7

-Purpose: stabilizing the head before baby has voluntary control
- Stimulus: pull-to-sit by the forearms
- Reaction: flexion and elevation of the UE’s
- Develops: 28 weeks g.
- Integrates: 2-5 months

Question 8

Moro reflex

Answer 8

-Purpose: involuntary response to unexpected stimuli (startle)
- Stimulus: suspend baby in supine, and drop head back
- Reaction: Extension and abduction of both UE’s, with opening of hands, THEN flexion and adduction of both UE’s
- Develops: 28 weeks g.
- Integrates: 4-6 months

Question 9

Plantar grasp

Answer 9

-Purpose: increase tactile input to the foot in preparation for walking
- Stimulus: press thumb into ball of foot
- Reaction: toes flex
- Develops: 28 weeks
- Integrates: 9 months

Question 10

Spinal Galant Reflex

Answer 10

-Purpose: balance and coordination for crawling and creeping; connected to bladder function
- Stimulus: suspend baby in prone, stroke finger along one side of spine from shoulder to buttocks
- Reaction: Lateral trunk flexion on the stimulated side and wrinkling of skin
- Develops: 32 weeks g.
- Integrates: 2 months

Question 11

Asymmetric tonic neck reflex (ATNR)

Answer 11

-Purpose: one-handed movements, eye-hand coordination
- Stimulus: baby in supine, turn head to one side
- Reaction: extension of extremities on the face side and flexion of extremities on the skull side
- Develops: 37 weeks g.
- Integrates: 4-6 months

Question 12

Palmar grasp

Answer 12

-Purpose: development of grasp
- Stimulus: place finger in baby’s palm
- Reaction: Involuntary grasp
- Develops: 37 weeks
- Integrates: 4-6 months

Question 13

Tonic Labyrinthine - Supine

Answer 13

-Purpose: increase/refine extensor tone, practice balance, proprioceptive awareness, posture, coordination, head alignment
- Stimulus: Put baby in supine suspended, allow gravity to create extension
- Reaction: increase in extensor tone
- Develops: greater than 37 weeks g.
- Integrates: 6 months

Question 14

Tonic Labyrinthine- prone

Answer 14

-Purpose: increase/refine flexor tone, practice balance, proprioceptive awareness, posture, coordination, head alignment
- Stimulus: place baby in prone suspended
- Reaction: increase in flexor tone
- Develops: greater than 37 weeks g.
- Integrates: 6 months

Question 15

Labyrinthine/optical (head) righting

Answer 15

-Purpose: maintain head alignment when body is displaced
- Stimulus: hold infant vertically and tilt to the side/front/back
- Reaction: baby’s head remains upright and steady
- Develops: birth-2 years
- Integrates: persists

Question 16

Landau “Superman”

Answer 16

-Purpose: breaks up flexor dominance
- Stimulus: prone suspension
- Reaction: complete extension of head, trunk, and extremities
- Develops: 3-4 months
- Integrates: 12-24 months

Question 17

Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR)

Answer 17

-Purpose: precursor for crawling/creeping
- Stimulus:
- place baby in
quadruped; cervical
extension
- place baby in
quadruped; cervical
flexion w/ chin tuck
- Reaction:
- extension of arms and
flexion of LE’s
- flexion of arms and
extension of LE’s (bear
walk)
- Develops: 4-6 months
- Integrates: 8-12 months

Question 18

Neck righting

Answer 18

-Purpose: initiates rolling
- Stimulus: baby in supine, turn head
- Reaction: entire body turns in direction of head
- Develops: 4-6 months
- Integrates: 5 years

Question 19

Body righting

Answer 19

-Purpose: initiates rolling
- Stimulus: baby in supine, place hip over midline of body
- Reaction: pelvis and rest of body follows in a log roll
- Develops: 4-6 months
- Integrates: 5 years

Question 20

Babinski Reflex

Answer 20

-Purpose: can indicate neurological disorder or injury in children > 2 years
- Stimulus: stroke bottom of foot from heel to base of toes
- Reaction: ext. of big toe, other toes fan out
- Develops: birth
- Integrates: 1 year

Question 21

Downward parachute (protective downward extension)

Answer 21

Purpose: Prep for standing; breaking fall
Stimulus: child suspended vertically and is lowered quickly to simulate a fall
Reaction: Extension of LE’s
Develops: 4 months
Integrates: Persists

Question 22

Forward parachute (protective extension downward)

Answer 22

Purpose: prep for sitting; breaking/preventing fall
Stimulus: suddenly tip infant forward while vertically suspended
Reaction: Extension of the UE’s, hand opening, and neck extension- about to break a fall
Develops: 6-9 months
Integrates:Persists

Question 23

Sideward parachute (protective extension sideward)

Answer 23

Purpose: prevent fall; increase support (arm extension) on side opposite force- stop from falling to the side
Stimulus: Tip infant off-balance to side
Reaction: Arm extension and abd to the side
Develops: 7 months
Integrates: Persists

Question 24

Backward parachute (protective extension backward)

Answer 24

Purpose: Prevent fall
Stimulus: tip infant off-balance backward
Reaction: backward arm extension
Develops: 9-10 months
Integrates: Persists