Newborn Reflexes

As a newborn and young infant, most of your baby's development and physical reactions will be
determined by primitive reflexes. For example, if you brush your newborn's cheek, he will likely
turns his head (rooting reflex), which helps him to find a breast or bottle for a feeding. Or if you
place a nipple in his mouth , as it touches the roof of his mouth, it will cause him to begin
sucking (sucking reflex).

There are many of other types of reflexes, most of which are present at birth, including the moro
or startle reflex, walking or stepping, tonic neck reflex and the palmar and plantar grasp.

It is not always easy to demonstrate these reflexes and not all babies do them all of the time, so
don't be surprised if you or your Pediatrician can't trigger all of the reflexes. More important, is
your baby's overall growth and development. Absent, asymmetric or persistent reflexes might be
a sign of a neurological problem, though, and need further evaluation.

Moro Reflex

Also called the startle reflex, the moro is usually triggered if your baby is startled by a loud noise
or if his head falls backward or quickly changes position. Your baby's response to the moro will
include spreading his arms and legs out widely and extending his neck. He will then quickly
bring his arms back together and cry. The moro reflex is usually present at birth and disappears
by 3-6 months.

Grasp

This reflex is shown by placing your finger or an object into your baby's open palm, which will
cause a reflex grasp or grip. If you try to pull away, the grip will get even stronger. In addition to
the palmar grasp, there is also a plantar grasp, which is elicited by stroking the bottom of his
foot, which will cause it to flex and his toes to curl. The palmar and plantar grasp usually
disappear by 5-6 months and 9-12 months respectively.

Stepping/Walking

Most parents are surprised by this reflex. If you hold your baby under his arms, support his head,
and allow his feet to touch a flat surface, he will appear to take steps and walk. This reflex
usually disappears by 2-3 months, until it reappears as he learns to walk at around 10-15 months.

Positive Support Reflex

Like the stepping reflex, if you hold your baby under his arms, support his head, and allow his
feet to bounce on a flat surface, he will extend (straighten) his legs for about 20-30 seconds to
support himself, before he flexes his legs again and goes to a sitting position. This reflex usually
disappears by 2-4 months, until it becomes a more mature reflex in which there is a sustained
extension of the legs and support of his body by about 6 months.
Tonic Neck Reflex

A postural reaction, the asymmetric tonic neck reflex, or fencer response, is present at birth. To
elicit this reflex, while your baby is lying on his back, turn his head to one side, which should
cause the arm and leg on the side that he is looking toward to extend or straighten, while his
other arm and leg will flex. This reflex usually disappears by 4-9 months.

Galant Reflex

If your baby is on his stomach and you stroke neck to the spinal cord (paravertebral area) on his
middle to lower back, it will cause his back to curve towards the side that you are stroking. This
reflex is present at birth and disappears by 3-6 months.

 Moro or ‘startle’ reflex. This occurs when your baby’s head is moved quickly, when her
head falls backward, or when she is startled by something. She will react by throwing out
her arms and legs and extending her neck. Your baby will then quickly bring her arms
and legs back in. She may cry when doing this. This reflex tends to disappear at around
five to six months.
 Rooting reflex. This is how your baby hunts for her mother’s breast. If you gently stroke
the side of her cheek with your finger, she will turn her head and open her mouth to
follow the direction of the stroking. This will disappear after three to four months.
 Suck reflex. When the roof of the baby’s mouth is touched, the baby will begin to suck.
This reflex is not fully developed until about the 36th week of pregnancy. Premature
babies may have a weak sucking ability because of this. A newborn has a hand-to-mouth
reflex that gives her the ability to practice sucking and to self-soothe.
 Grasp reflex. Your baby will clench her fist around anything pressed into the palm of her
hand. You can show this to a big brother or sister. Say, ‘The baby wants to hold on to
your finger.’ This reflex goes away after a couple of months.
 Stepping reflex. If you hold a newborn baby upright under her arms with her feet on a
hard surface, her feet will make a stepping action. This happens even though it is a long
time before she is ready to stand or walk. This reflex will usually disappear after a couple
of months.
 Babinski’s reflex. When the sole of the foot is firmly stroked, the big toe bends back and
the other toes fan out. This disappears after two years of age.
 Tonic neck reflex. When the baby’s head is turned to one side, while lying on her back,
she extends her arm on the side to which the head is turned and bends the other arm. This
is often called the ‘fencing’ position. The tonic neck reflex disappears after six to seven
months.