Primitive Reflexes Flashcards
Moro is also known as
“Startle Reflex”
Moro onset
birth
Moro integration
4 months
When do you test Moro Reflex
Last or towards the end of the exam
Moro testing procedure and Response
Procedure: Place child on back gently lift head off mat.
The head is then released suddenly, allowed to fall backward for a moment, but quickly supported again.
Response: Baby is startled. Arms should move sideways with the palms up and the thumbs flexed. The baby may cry for a minute.
How Moro reflex helps development:
Involuntary reaction to threat, Fight or Flight, Startle
Moro Functional Implications
Motion sickness, poor balance/coordination, delayed equilibrium & righting responses, auditory hypersensitivity, poor auditory discrimination, difficulty with transitions, hypersensitivity may be seen in only one sense
Moro Global Manifestations
Dislike change or surprise, Allergies, lowered immunity, ear infection, parents walk on eggshells to keep the world right for their kids, need to control, poor stamina, low self-esteem, difficulty making decisions, “glued” to mom or teacher, sedentary.
ATNR is also know as
“Asymmetrical tonic neck reflex” or “The Fencing Pose”
ATNR onset
Birth
ATNR Integration
6 months
ATNR Testing Procedure and Response
Procedure: Place child on back, gently turn head to one side
Response: UE flexion on opposite side of head turn and UE extension on side head is turned toward
How ATNR helps development:
- Helps develop muscle tone
- provides vestibular stimulation
- develops balance
- decreases chances of breech birth
- initiates eye hand activities/coordination
- helps initiate rolling
If ATNR is not integrated:
- Delayed eye-hand skills
- poor mid-line development
- difficulty crossing mid-line with hands and eyes
- difficulty with auditory processing
- poor organization
- when reaching one are extends and the other retracts
- one leg left behind during crawling
- turning body while drawing/writing
- not spontaneously using non-dominant hand to assist
Spinal Galant onset
Birth / in utero
Spinal Galant integration
3 months
Spinal Galant testing procedure and response
Procedure: Stroke down the back from below the shoulder to the base of the lumbar region at a distance of ½ inch from the spine, first on one side, then on the other. Repeat the procedure up to 3 times (repetition beyond this can fail to elicit the reaction even though the reflex is present).
Response: Infant will laterally flex toward stimulated side.
How Spinal Galant helps development:
Thought to take an active part in birthing process by stimulating lumbar region causing rotational movement of hips.
Spinal Galant underdeveloped
- Contributes to hyper-tonicity
- Strong ATNR and STNR
- Impeded cross patterns for crawling and creeping
Spinal Galant retained
- Fidgeting
- Bed Wetting
- Poor concentration and short term memory
- Hip rotation to one side when walking
- Child may only wear sweatpants (worn low) to avoid stimulation of lumbar region
TLR onset
Utero
TLR integration
3 years
TLR testing procedure and response
Test: Place child on back, and lift up into sitting position Response: Flexor tone will dominate OR Test: Place child on tummy Response: Extensor tone will dominate
How TLR helps development
A response to gravity:
- Movement of head above the spine: extension.
- Movement of the head below the spine: flexion.
If Moro reflex isn’t integrated, which other reflex probably won’t be integrated?
TLR
Flexor TLR not integrated
- Slouched posture
- Low muscle tone
- Dislike of physical activity
- Stuck in flexion
Extensor TLR not integrated
- Toe walking
- High muscle tone
- Dislike of physical activity
- Stuck in extension
- Poor organizational skills
- Motion sickness
Landau Reflex onset
4 months
Landau Reflex integration
12 months or 1 year
Landau Reflex test and response
Test: Suspend infant horizontally in prone position
Response: Extension of head, neck, and trunk
How Landau Reflex helps development:
- Assists with posture development, sitting and walking
- Helps inhibit TLR
If Landau Reflex is not integrated:
- Poor muscle tone causing chronic back and neck pain
- Tension and hyperextension of the legs accompanied by stiffness of the lower body
- Affects development of balance
- Ability to flex leg muscles correctly
- Vertical eye tracking
- A limitation of the field of vision
- Poor at sports
- Stiff awkward movements in lower half of body
- Difficulty in hopping, jumping
STNR is also know as
“Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex” or “Dog crawling under a fence”
STNR onset
6 months
STNR integration
11 months
STNR test and response
Test: Place child in sitting and tip forward
Response: Neck and arms flex, legs extend
OR
Test: Place child in sitting and tip backward
Response: Neck and arms extend, legs flex
STNR is the body trying to keep itself ________ & ________
Symmetrical & Balanced
How STNR help development:
- Allows child to defy gravity and assume quadruped
- Integrated as child begins to crawl
- Job is to disassociate upper extremities from lower extremities, Integrated when rocking back and forth on hands and knees
If STNR is not integrated:
- “W” sitting (this position inhibits STNR)
- Poor posture
- Hands in pocket
- Bunny hop instead of crawl
- Difficulty sitting still
- Falls out of chair
- Clumsy
- Poor balance
- Not into sports because can’t rely on body
- Behavior problems
- Poor eye hand coordination
- Difficulty copying
- Difficulty sitting for fine motor activities
