Question | Answer |
Survival Reflexes | •Eye Blink
•Pupillary
•Breathing
•Gag
•Rooting (birth to 3 months)
•Suck / Swallow (birth to 2-5 mo, then voluntary) |
ROOTING REFLEX:
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 3 mo
When the infant’s cheek is stroked, he will turn the head and direct the mouth toward that side
Functional significance - persistence can interfere with sucking. Absence of this is seen in neurologically impaired infants |
SUCK SWALLOW REFLEX
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 2-5 months
place a finger / nipple into the infant’s mouth and we would see rhythmical sucking
Functional significance - persistence of this reflex may inhibit voluntary sucking |
TRACTION RESPONSE
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 2-5 mo
When holding wrists & pulling to a sitting position from supine the shoulders and arms flex/elevate
Functional significance- enables the child to hold onto the mother & helps stabilize the head before the child has voluntary head control |
GALANT’S RESPONSE
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 3-6 mo
In prone position, when stroked on one side of the trunk/back there is lateral flexion toward that side
Functional significance - often seen with children with athetoid CP |
STEPPING REFLEX
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4 mo
When the infant is supported with feet on the floor, she will “step” with one foot at a time, as if walking
Functional significance - premature infants will tend to walk in a toe-heel while more mature infants will walk in a heel-toe |
MORO REFLEX
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-6 mo
“Startle” Reflex & Is decreased in prone position. the shoulders abduct, the elbows, wrists and fingers extend.
Functional significance - asymmetry during this reaction may indicate a brain injury or peripheral nerve problems to the UE |
PALMAR GRASP
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-6 mo
Pressure to the palm elicits grasp. Gently stroking medial side of hand opens the hand
Functional significance -following the development of grasp, the infant begins to reach for objects and utilizes a crude palmer grasp to hold them |
PLANTAR GRASP
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-9 mo
Pressure to the ball of the foot elicits toe flexion
Functional significance - Integrates at the same time that independent gait first becomes possible. |
BABINSKI
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 8-12 mo
Gently stroking the sole or side of the foot & toes fan apart in abduction and big toe extend up and out
Functional Significance - In infants under-developed or immature CNS With an Adult it indicates severe damage to the CNS |
LANDAU
Age:
Functional Significance: | 3-4 mo - 12-24 mo
“Superman” reflex
When suspended in prone position then the head raises and legs extend. When head is moved into flexion the legs drop down
Functional significance - breaks up the total flexion pattern seen at birth |
(ATNR)
ASSYMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-6 mo
Head turned to side then ipsilateral (same side) arm and leg extension, contralateral (opposite side) arm and leg flexion
Functional significance - persistence of this reflex may indicate CNS damage |
(STNR)
SYMMETRICAL TONIC NECK REFLEX
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-6 mo
child in quadruped position on the floor. Neck extension gets LE flexion, UE extension. A neck flexion gets LE extension, UE
flexion
Functional significance - necessary to achieve crawling |
(TLR)
TONIC LABYRINTHINE REFLEX
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-6 mo
prone - flexor tone will dominate(BALL UP); supine - extensor tone (ARMS & legs)
Functional significance - persistence of TLR will impede activities which require graded coactivation of flexor and extensor muscles |
NECK RIGHTING ON THE BODY (NOB)
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-6 mo
When head is turned, body turns in the same direction head
Functional significance - early in development the infant uses NOB in order to transition between supine, sidelying, and eventually prone |
BODY RIGHTING REACTION (BOB)
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 4-5 mo
When one segment of the body is turned, the rest of the body turns the same direction
Functional significance - this reflex assists the child in rolling between supine and prone |
LABYRINTHINE OPTICAL RIGHTING
Age:
Functional Significance: | birth - 2 mo
When body is tilted to one side, the head tilts the opposite direction to keep the head upright
Functional significance - allows the body to turn freely around the head |
TILTING REACTION
Age: | Prone – 5-6 mo through life
Supine – 5-6 mo through life
Sitting tilting – 7-8 mo through life
Standing tilting – 12-21 mo through life
functional signif: inner ear needed for balance |
PARACHUTE - PROTECTIVE EXTENSION
Age:
Functional Significance | 6-9 mo - persists through life
forward / backward / sideward / downward
arms extend out and legs if necessary to protect the head |