Primitive Reflexes

Question 1

Moro

Answer 1

Stimulus: sudden drop of the head in extension
Response: causes the arms to abduct then flex in
towards the body then cry
Purpose: survival reaction
Possible issues: balance, sensory, brain damage, increased anxiety

Question 2

Spinal Galant

Answer 2

Stimulus: touching the mid to lower paraspinals on one
side from top to bottom
Response: the side that was stimulated will laterally flex
and the hip will flex outward
Purpose: teaches the brain lateral flexion and rotation,
assists with getting through the birth canal and
for preparation for crawling
Possible issues: Restlessness, hyperactive, bed wetting

Question 3

Babinski

Answer 3

Stimulus: plantar surface of the foot- stroke the foot from the
lateral to the medial side along the metatarsal
heads
Response: great toe will extend and abduct while the other
toes extend and fan out, dorsiflexion, hip flexion,
external rotation, and knee flexion
Purpose: prepares the feet for standing and gait, helps with
balance and coordination, helps to develop the
whole lower extremity
Possible issues: flat footed, pronated, medial sprain, balance
issues

Question 4

Babkin-Palmomental

Answer 4

Stimulus: firm pressure on the center of the palm
Response: results in mouth opening, neck flexion and chin tuck
Purpose: supports the feeding reflex, helps with hand to mouth coordination,
influences ATNR integration, hand tongue and articulation coordination
Possible issues: eating/swallowing, hand to mouth coordination, cutting paper
and drawing

Question 5

Landau

Answer 5

Stimulus: the core
Response: when the head extends, the arms and legs extend also against gravity
Purpose: strengthens muscle tone by strengthening the extensors, develops
vestibular-ocular motor skills by facilitating horizontal and vertical
orientation, binocular vision, and hearing, helps develop balance
Possible issues: running, stair problems

Question 6

Positive Support Relex

Answer 6

Stimulus: weight of the infant on the feet when supported
Response: causes the infant to bear some weight on the legs
Purpose: preparation for gait and pelvic girdle strengthening
Possible issues: weak lower extremity, trouble walking, shallow joints

Question 7

Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR)

Answer 7

Stimulus: head extension or head flexion
Response: extension of head causes extension of the back, arms and legs; head
flexion, back, arms, legs will flex
Purpose: begins to prepare infant for sitting, helps with balance; development of
muscle tone; formation of antigravity and stability mechanisms;
integration of vestibular and visual systems
Possible issues: long sitting, walking, jumping, running, poor balance, poor
posture, vision perception

Question 8

Symmetrical Tonic Neck Relex (STNR)

Answer 8

Stimulus: neck position
Response: in quadraped, when neck extends, the arms extend and legs flex;
when neck flexes, the arms flex and legs extend
Purpose: preparation for crawling, allows reaching and weight shift to facilitate
balance and trunk stability, begins to work on visual accommodation by
rocking back and forth; helps integrate TLR
Possible issues: weight shifting, stairs reciprocal, creeping issues

Question 9

Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR)

Answer 9

Stimulus: head turning to the side
Response: arm and leg extension on the side of the face is turned and elbow and
hip flexion on the occipital side
Purpose: development of eye-hand coordination, develop asymmetrical cross
lateral movements and rotation, foundation for auditory processes and
language, differentiation between hemispheres, specialization of
executive functions, develop of limb dominance
Possible issues: hand/eye coordination, vision, eating problems, creep/crawl
impairment, midline crossing problems

Question 10

Body Righting on Body

Answer 10

Stim: Rotation of LEs
Response: The entire body will rotate to that side
Purpose: Difficulty rolling over

Question 11

Startle

Answer 11

Stim: loud noise
Response: Arms flail in extension upper extremity and crying.
Purpose: Exaggerated response to noise