Lecture 2 - Infant reflexes and Sterotypies

Question 1

Infant reflexes and
stereotypies are very
important in the process
of _________

Answer 1

Development

Question 2

Reflexive movements occur during the ______ of prenatal life and the first _______ after birth

Answer 2

last 4 months

4 months

Question 3

Reflexes occur at which level of the cortex

Answer 3

subcortically; (below the level of

the higher brain centers

Question 4

True or false. Most “infant” reflexes last beyond the first year of infancy

Answer 4

False.

Question 5

Reflexes that endure are called?

What are some examples?

Answer 5

“lifespan” reflexes
Knee-jerk reflex
– Flexor-withdrawal reflex

Question 6

True or false. Many of the infant reflexes completely

disappear. Why or why not?

Answer 6

False. Most do not completely disappear 
1. First, they are inhibited by the maturing nervous
system
2. They are integrated into new movement
behaviors

Question 7

What are primitive reflexes are important for?

Answer 7

Protection, Nutrition, Survival

Question 8

“Prevalent belief: automatic movement is

“practice” for future voluntary movement”. This describes what kind of infant reflex?

Answer 8

Postural reflexes

Question 9

Do any reflexes emanate from higher brain centers? if so which?

Answer 9

Yes. Postural

Question 10

When the this reflex is stimulated,

walking may begin at an earlier age.

Answer 10

Stepping reflex

Question 11

Is there a link between stimulation of reflex and the disappearance phase and early movement.

Answer 11

yes, the stepping reflex is a prime example of this.

Question 12

Match these “infant reflexes” with their subsequent ‘Future Voluntary Movements”

a. Crawling
b. Labyrinthine
c. Palmar Grasp
d. Stepping

Answer 12

a. Crawling
b. Upright posture
c. Grasping
d. Walking

Question 13

How can Reflexes be used as diagnostic tool

Answer 13

• Reflexes are age-specific in normal, healthy
  infants
  -Can help determine the level of neurological
  maturation

Question 14

As diagnostic tool what do lack of these reflexes signify?
Moro reflex.
Asymmetric tonic neck reflex.

Answer 14

Moro reflex
– May signify a cerebral birth injury if lacking or
asymmetrical

Asymmetric tonic neck reflex
– May indicate cerebral palsy or other neurological
problem

Question 15

Milani Comparetti Neuromotor

Development Examination, measures what specifically?

Answer 15

Measures several infant reflexes from birth

to 24 months

Question 16

What is the purpose of the Milani Comparetti Neuromotor

Development Examination? What is it useful for?

Answer 16

Develop profile of child’s
movement in relation to what is expected at
a specific age.

Useful in determining motor delay

Question 17

a. True of false? The palmar grasp reflex
is one of the most
noticeable reflexes to
emerge.
b. When does it appear and how long does it stay?
c Negative palmer grasp: indicates?
d. what does it lead to?

Answer 17

a true
b. in utero & endures through the gh the 4th month postpartum
c. neurological problems;
spasticity
d. Leads to voluntary reaching and grasping ( limb control?)

Question 18

fill in the blanks. In terms of the sucking reflex:
1. Occurs \_\_\_\_\_\_\_
2. Babies are born with
\_\_\_\_\_\_
3. Stimulated by
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Answer 18

1. pre-and postnatally
2. blisters on lips
3. touching the lips

Question 19

Which reflext helps the baby locate

nourishment

Answer 19

Searching

Question 20

True or false. The searching reflex. Usually works in conjunctions with sucking
reflex Contributes to head- and body-righting reflexes

Answer 20

True.

Question 21

What reflex precedes the startle reflex? And what are the main differences? When does this reflex disappear

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What reflex does this describe? Causes flexion on one side and extension on the other

Answer 22

Asymmetric Tonic Neck

Reflex

Question 23

Asymmetric Tonic Neck
Reflex Facilitates the
development of what?

Answer 23

Bilateral body

awareness

Question 24

what reflex does this describe? When tilted forward from a seated position the babies Limbs respond
symmetrically

Answer 24

Symmetric

Tonic Neck Reflex

Question 25

Symmetric neck reflex.  What does the neck, arms and legs does in the these following situations 
1.Place baby in a sitting
position ~ tip forward
2. Place baby in a sitting
position ~ tip
backward

Answer 25

1. Neck- flexes
   Arms- flex
   Legs- extend
2. Neck-extends
   Arms-extend
   Legs-flex

Question 26

How do you stimulate the Plantar Grasp reflex? and does the disappearance of this reflex precede?

Answer 26

Stimulus is touching the
ball of the foot; The toes appear to be
grasping

This reflex must
disappear before the
baby can stand or walk

Question 27

Describe the Babinski Reflex

Answer 27

Toes spread with same stimulus of plantar grasp reflex

Question 28

What is the tonic neck reflex?

Answer 28

Limbs respond to symmetrically a forward tilt stimulus in the seated position

Question 29

What is the palmer mandibular reflex?

Answer 29

Makes the eyes open and close, mouth open, and/or neck flex; which tilts the head forward via pressure in both palms. Also called the Babkin relfex

Question 30

When the palms of the baby’s hands are stretched which reflex occurs and what does this reflex elicit?

Answer 30

Palmer Mental Reflex.
Elicits a facial response: Lower jaw opens and
closes

Question 31

How long is the crawling reflex observed for?

Answer 31

from birth to 3-4months

Question 32

What is the swimming reflex?

Answer 32

the baby’s swimming-like

movements when held in a horizontal position

Question 33

What is the righting reflex?

Answer 33

The head “rights” itself

with the body when the body is turned to one side.

Question 34

What reflex is a Precursor to rolling movements. When is this reflex evident by?

Answer 34

Righting reflex

Body righting may not
be evident before
month 5

Question 35

What reflex is both a concious attempt to break a fall, related to upright posture and is also a propping reflex?

Answer 35

Parachuting reflex

Question 36

What is the Labyrinth reflex?

True or false it is a Prmitive reflex.

Answer 36

Head tilts in the
opposite dir.ection of
body tilt
False it is a postural reflex. It’s related to upright posture.

Question 37

What is the pull up reflex? Is it a postural or primitive reflex?

Answer 37

When the baby is tipped backward,
supporting arms flex in an effort to
maintain the upright position.

Postural Reflex.

Question 38

What are the postural Reflexes?

Answer 38

stepping (to 5-6 mo.)
Crawling (to 3-4 mo.)
Swimming (2 weeks to 5 mo.)
Head-righting (1 to 6 mo.)
Body Righting reflex (5 mo. to 1 yr.)
Parachuting (4 mo. +)
Labyrinthine (2-3 mo. to 1 yr.)
Pull-up (3 mo. to 1 yr.)

(8/20 reflexes)

Question 39

What are the primitive reflexes? And when do they appear and disspear?

Answer 39

Palmar grasp (to 4 mo.)
Sucking (to 3 mo.)
Search (to 3 mo.)
Moro (3 to 6 mo.)
Asymmetric tonic neck (2 to 3 mo.)
Symmetric tonic neck (3 mo.)
Startle (starting from 6 to 9 mo. enduring to 1 year)
Plantar grasp (to 1 yr.)
Babinski (to 4 mo.)
Palmar mandibular (to 3 mo.)
Palmar mental (to 3 mo.)
Startle (starting from 6 to 9 mo. enduring to 1 year)
(12/20 reflexes total)

Question 40

What type of infant movement does this describe? “Rhythmic, patterned, centrally controlled movement behavior of infancy apparently not learned through imitation”
What are is the purpose of these type of movements?

Answer 40

Sterotypies

Purpose is uncertain: calming?, practice? Self stim, NS integration; motor-sensory integration

Question 41

Number of stereotypies and frequency of occurrence is greatest from _____ weeks and then diminishes

Answer 41

2 to 42 weeks