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Infant Reflexes

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Importance of Infant

Reflexes

Reflexive movements occur during the last 4

months of prenatal life and the first 4 months

after birth Absence or persistence beyond a given time

frame signifies dysfunction of the CNS

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Infant vs. Lifespan

Reflexes

Most infant reflexes do not last beyond the

first year

Reflexes that endure are called lifespanreflexes

Knee-jerk reflex

Flexor-withdrawal reflex

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Role of the Reflexes in

Survival

Infant reflexes are called

primitive reflexes

Primitive reflexes are

repressed by 6 months of

age

Primitive reflexes are

important for

Protection

Nutrition

Sucking reflex

Rooting reflex

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Primitive Reflexes ~

Palmar Grasp

The palmar grasp reflex

is one of the most

noticeable reflexes to

emerge

When an object is placed

in the infant's hand and strokes their palm, the

fingers will close and they will grasp it Leads to voluntary reaching and grasping

May predict handedness in adulthood

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Primitive Reflexes ~

Sucking

Occurs pre-and

postnatally

Stimulated bytouching the lips

Helps child find

nourishment

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Primitive Reflexes ~

Rooting

Helps the baby locate

nourishment

Turn his head toward

anything that strokes his

cheek or mouth

Usually works in

conjunctions with suckingreflex

Stimulus ~ touching the cheek

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Primitive Reflexes ~

Asymmetric Tonic Neck

Reflex (Fencing Posture)

When the child's head

is turned to the side,

the arm on that side will

straighten and theopposite arm will bend

Facilitates the

development ofbilateral body

awareness

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Primitive Reflexes ~

Plantar Grasp

Plantar flexion of the

foot (toes move away

from the shin, and curl

down

The toes appear to be

grasping

Stimulus is touching theball of the foot

This reflex must

disappear before the

baby can stand or walk

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Primitive Reflexes ~

Parachute

suspending the child by

the trunk and by

suddenly producing

forward flexion as if thechild were to fall

spontaneously extends

the upper extremitiesas a protective

mechanism

appears before the

onset of walking

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Primitive Reflexes

Reflex Onset Fully Developed Duration

Palmar grasp 28 wk 32 wk 23 mo

Rooting 32 wk 36 wk Less prominent after 1 mo

Moro 2832 wk 37 wk 56 mo

Tonic neck 35 wk 1 mo 67 mo

Parachute 78 mo 1011 mo Remains throughoutlife