Overview of Primitive Reflexes

Question 1

What is the definition of gestation?

Answer 1

the process of carrying or being carried in the womb (uterus) between conception and birth

Question 2

What does it mean for a reflex to be integrated?

Answer 2

“Reflex integration is when specific developmental primitive reflexes are naturally phased out because they are no longer useful or necessary”

Question 3

sucking reflex

Answer 3

a) Onset: 28 weeks gestation
b) Integration: 2-5 months
c) Position: supine with head in midline
d) Stimulus: place finger or nipple into infant’s mouth
e) Response: rhythmical sucking movements

Question 4

rooting reflex

Answer 4

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
b) Integration: 3 months
c) Position: supine with head in midline
d) Stimulus: stroke perioral skin at corner of mouth, moving laterally toward the
cheek, upper lip and lower lip, in turn
e) Response: Directed head turning toward stimulated side

Question 5

Galant’s response:

Answer 5

Onset: 28-32 weeks gestation
b) Integration: 2 months (may persist)
c) Position: prone in neutral alignment
d) Gently stimulate along a paravertebral line about 3 cm from midline and from
shoulder to buttocks; one side at a time
e) Response: lateral flexion on stimulated side

Question 6

Moro reflex:

Answer 6

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
b) Integration: 4-6 months
c) Position: supine with head in midline
d) Stimulus: support infant’s head and shoulders with hands; allow head to drop
back 20-30 degrees with respect to trunk, stretching neck muscles
e) Response: abduction of upper extremities with extension of elbows, wrists and fingers, followed by subsequent adduction of arms at shoulders and flexion at elbows

Question 7

palmar grasp reflex

Answer 7

Onset: birth to 2 months
b) Integration: 4-6 months with purposeful reach/grasp
c) Position: supine with head in midline and hands free
d) Stimulus: place index finger of examiner into hand of infant from ulnar side; gently press against palmar surface
e) Response: infant’s fingers will flex around examiner’s index finger

Question 8

plantar grasp reflex

Answer 8

Onset: 28 weeks gestation
b) Integration: 9 months
c) Position: supine with head in midline, legs relaxed
d) Stimulus: firm pressure against plantar surface on infant’s foot over metatarsal
heads
e) Response: Plantar flexion of all toes

Question 9

neonatal positive supporting of lower extremity

Answer 9

a) Onset: 35 weeks gestation
b) Integration: 1-2 months
c) Position: support infant in vertical position with examiner’s hands under the arms and around the chest
d) Stimulus: allow feet to make firm contact with tabletop or other flat surface
e) Response: simultaneous contraction of flexors and extensors so as to bear
weight on lower extremities.
(1) Child may only support minimal amount of body weight
(2) Characterized by partial flexion of hips and knees

—> baby may start by supporting a small amount of weight, to standing, to bouncing

Question 10

spontaneous walking/stepping reflex

Answer 10

Onset: around birth
b) Integration: 2 months
c) Position: Support infant in vertical position with examiner’s hands under arms
and around chest
d) Stimulus: support child upright, feet touching table surface. Incline child forward
and gently move child forward to accompany any stepping
e) Response: child will make alternating, rhythmical and coordinated stepping
movements

Question 11

What is an attitudinal reflex?

Answer 11

Attitudinal reflexes: stimulus is head and neck position (subcategory of primitive reflexes, never obligatory in typically developing children)

Question 12

ATNR reflex- asymmetrical tonic neck reflex

Answer 12

Onset: birth to 2 months
b) Integration: 4-6 months
c) Position: place child supine with head in midline; can test or observe in other
positions (sitting, quadruped, standing)
d) Stimulus
(1) Have child actively turn head by following an object from side to side
(2) Passively turn child’s head slowly to one side and hold in extreme position with jaw over shoulder
e) Response: arm and leg on face side extend, arm and leg on skull side flex (fencer’s position)

Question 13

STNR reflex

Answer 13

a) Onset: 4-6 months
b) Integration: 8-12 months
c) Position: place child in ventral position supported by trunk, over examiner’s knee
or place in quadruped position
d) Stimulus: examiner passively flexes then extends the child’s head and neck
e) Response
(1) Head and neck flexion produces flexion of the upper extremities, extension of
the lower extremities (2) Head and neck extension produces extension of the upper extremities, flexion of the lower extremities

*** whatever the top half of the body does, the bottom half does the opposite

Question 14

automatic postural reactions

Answer 14

a) Provide foundation for posture, balance, locomotion, and prehension (grasping and seizing)
b) Reactions appear during infancy and remain throughout life
c) Occur in response to changes in body’s orientation and pattern of weight
distribution in BOS

Question 15

Three categories of automatic postural reactions:

Answer 15

protective–> move extremities to catch person due to fast or large movement of center of gravity

head and trunk righting –> keep head and trunk aligned with each other
—> visual, vestibular and somatosensory system

equilibrium
-response to slow shift of the COG
-orderly sequence: prone, supine, sitting, quadruped, standing
- Lags behind attainment of movement in the next higher developmental posture
- Includes lateral righting and rotation