Infant Reflexes and Stereotypies

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Infant Reflexes and Stereotypies
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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
• Reflexes occur subcortically (below the level of
  the higher brain centers)

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Infant vs. Lifespan Reflexes

• Most infant reflexes do not last beyond year 1
• Reflexes that endure are called lifespan
  reflexes
• Knee-jerk reflex
• Flexor-withdrawal reflex

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Role of the Reflexes in Survival

• Infant reflexes are used for
• Protection
• Nutrition
• Survival

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Role of Reflexes in Developing Future Movement

• Postural reflexes
• Provide automatic movement that is practice for
  future voluntary movement
• Walking reflex
• These reflexes disappear when voluntary behavior
  surfaces

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Role of Reflexes in Developing Future Movement
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Reflexes as Diagnostic Tools

• Can help determine the level of neurological
  maturation
• Moro reflex
• May signify a cerebral birth injury if lacking or
  asymmetrical
• Asymmetric tonic neck reflex

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Reflexes as Diagnostic Tools

• Milani Comparetti Neuromotor Development
  Examination
• Measures several infant reflexes from birth to 24
  months
• Primitive Reflex Profile
• Quantification of the level of presence or
  strength of primitive reflexes

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Pinpointing the Number of Infant Reflexes

• Different terminologies used for same reflex by
  experts
• Reflexes are often poorly defined

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Primitive Reflexes Palmar Grasp

• The palmar grasp reflex is one of the most
  noticeable reflexes to emerge
• Endures through the 4th month
• Leads to voluntary reaching and grasping

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Primitive Reflexes Sucking

• Occurs pre-and postnatally

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Primitive Reflexes Search/Rooting

• Helps the baby locate nourishment
• Baby turns head toward the food when part of the
  cheek near the mouth is gently stimulated

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Primitive Reflexes Moro Reflex/Startle

• Elicited by the same stimuli that induces the
  startle reflex
• Moro reflex precedes the startle and causes the
  arms and legs to extend immediately rather than
  flex

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Primitive Reflexes Startle

• Similar to the Moro reflex
• Elicited by a rapid change of head position or by
  striking the surface that supports the baby
• Causes the arms and legs to flex immediately

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Primitive Reflexes Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex

• Causes flexion on one side and extension on the
  other
• Not always seen in newborn
• Facilitates the development of body awareness

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Primitive Reflexes Symmetric Tonic Neck Reflex

• Limbs respond symmetrically
• Its persistence may impede other motor milestones

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Primitive Reflexes Plantar Grasp

• The toes appear to be grasping

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Primitive Reflexes Babinski Reflex

• Elicited by a stimulus similar to plantar grasp,
  but response is different
• Test of the pyramidal tract activity for later
  motor movement

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Primitive Reflexes Palmar Mandibular Reflex

• Makes the eyes close, the mouth open, and the
  head tilt forward
• Also called the Babkin reflex

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Primitive Reflexes Palmar Mental Reflex

• Elicits a facial response when the base of the
  palm is scratched
• Lower jaw opens and closes

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Postural Reflexes Stepping
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Postural Reflexes Crawling

• Believed to be essential to the voluntary
  creeping movement

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Postural Reflexes Swimming

• Characterized by the babys swimming-like
  movements when held in a horizontal position

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Postural Reflexes Head-and-Body Righting

• The head rights itself with the body when the
  body is turned to one side
• Precursor to rolling movements
• Body righting may not be evident before month 5

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Postural Reflexes Parachuting Reflexes

• Propping
• Related to upright posture
• Appears consciously in an effort to break a
  potential fall

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Postural Reflexes Labyrinthine

• This reflex endures throughout most of the first
  year
• Related to upright posture

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Postural Reflexes Pull-up Reflex
When the baby is tipped backward, an arm flexes
in an effort to maintain the upright position
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Stereotypies

• Another form of movement observable during
  infancy
• Characterized by patterned, stereotyped, highly
  intrinsic, and involuntary movements of the body
• Believed to precede more complex voluntary
  movements

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Stereotypies

• Common stereotypies
• Single leg kick
• Two-leg kick
• Alternate leg kick
• Arm wave
• Arm wave with object
• Arm banging against a surface
• Finger flexion

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The End