Primitive Reflexes

Question 1

Rooting

Answer 1

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
Integration: 3 months
Stimulus: Stroke the corner of the mouth, upper lip, and lower lip
Response: Movement of the tongue, mouth, and/or head toward stimulus

Question 2

Suck-Swallow

Answer 2

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
Integration: 2-5 months
Stimulus: Place examiner’s index finger inside infant’s mouth with head in midline
Response: Strong, rhythmical sucking

Question 3

Traction

Answer 3

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
Integration: 2-5 months
Stimulus: Grasp infant’s forearms and pull-to-sit
Response: Complete flexion of upper extremities

Question 4

Moro

Answer 4

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
Integration: 4-6 months
Stimulus: Rapidly drop infant’s head backward
Response: First phase: arm extension/ abduction, hand opening Second phase: arm flexion and adduction

Question 5

Plantar grasp

Answer 5

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
Integration: 9 months
Stimulus: Apply pressure with thumb on the infant’s ball of the foot
Response: Toe flexion

Question 6

Galant

Answer 6

Onset: 32 weeks gestation
Integration: 2 months
Stimulus: Hold infant in prone suspension, gently scratch or tap alongside the spine with finger, from shoulders to buttocks
Response: Lateral trunk flexion and wrinkling of the skin on the stimulated side

Question 7

Asymmetric tonic neck

Answer 7

Onset: 37 weeks gestation
Integration: 4-6 months
Stimulus: Fully rotate infant’s head and hold for 5 seconds
Response: Extension of extremities on the face side, flexion of extremities on the skull side

Question 8

Palmar grasp

Answer 8

Onset: 37 weeks gestation
Integration: 4-6 months
Stimulus: place examiner’s finger in infants palm
Response: Flinger flexion; reflexive grasp

Question 9

Tonic labyrinthine- Supine

Answer 9

Onset: >37 weeks gestation
Integration: 6 months
Stimulus: Place infant in supine
Response: Increased extensor tone

Question 10

Tonic Labyrinthine- Prone

Answer 10

Onset: > 37 weeks gestation
Integration: 6 months
Stimulus: Place infant in prone
Response: Increased flexor tone

Question 11

Labyrinthine/ optical (head) righting

Answer 11

Onset: birth- 2 months
Integration: persists
Stimulus: Hold infant suspended vertically and tilt slowly (about 45 deg) to the side, forward or backward
Response: Upright positioning of the head

Question 12

Landau

Answer 12

Onset: 3-4 months
Integration: 12- 24 months
Stimulus: Hold infant in horizontal prone suspension
Response: Complete extension of head, trunk and extremities

Question 13

Symmetric tonic neck

Answer 13

Onset: 4-6 months
Integration: 8-12 months
Stimulus: Place infant in the crawling position and extend the head
Response: Flexion of hips and knees

Question 14

Neck righting (NOB)

Answer 14

Onset: 4-6 months
Integration: 5 years
Stimulus: Place infant in supine and fully turn head to one side
Response: Log rolling of the entire body to maintain alignment with the head

Question 15

Body right (on body) (BOB)

Answer 15

Onset:4-6 months
Integration: 5 years
Stimulus: Place infant in supine, flex one hip and knee toward the chest hold briefly
Response: Segmental rolling of the upper trunk to maintain alignment

Question 16

Downward parachute (protective extension downward)

Answer 16

Onset: 4 months
Integration: Persists
Stimulus: Rapidly infant toward supporting surface while suspended vertically
Response: Extension of the lower extremities

Question 17

Forward parachute ( protective extension forward)

Answer 17

Onset: 6-9 months
Integration: Persists
Stimulus: Suddenly tip infant forward toward supporting surface while vertically suspended
Response: Sudden extension of the upper extremities, hand opening, and neck extension.

Question 18

Sideward parachute (protective extension sideways)

Answer 18

Onset: 7 months
Integration: persists
Stimulus: Quickly but firmly tip infant off-balance to the side while in the sitting position
Response: Arm extension and abduction to the side

Question 19

Backward parachute (protective extension backward)

Answer 19

Onset: 9-10 months
Integration: persists
Stimulus: Quickly but firmly tip infant off-balance backward
Response: Backward arm extension or arm extension to one side spinal rotation

Question 20

Prone tilting

Answer 20

Onset: 5 months
Integration: persists
Stimulus: After positioning infant in prone, slowly raise one side of the supporting surface
Response: Curving of the spine toward the raised side (opposite to the pull of gravity); abduction/extension of arms and legs

Question 21

Supine tilting

Answer 21

Onset: 7-8 months
Integration: persists
Stimulus: After positioning infant in supine or sitting, slowly raise one side of the supporting surface
Response: Curving of the spine toward the raised side (opposite to the pull of gravity); abduction/ extension of arms and legs

Question 22

Quadruped tilting

Answer 22

Onset: 9-12 months
Integration: persists
Stimulus: AFter positioning infant on all fours, slowly raise one side of the supporting surfaces
Response: Curving of the spine toward the raised side (opposite to the pull of gravity); abduction/ extension of arms legs

Question 23

Standing tilting

Answer 23

Onset: 12-21 months
Integration: Persists
Stimulus: After positioning infant in standing, slowly raise one side of the supporting surface
Response: Curving of the spine toward the raised side (oppositie to the pull of gravity); abduction/extension of arms and legs