motor control reflexes

babinski reflex

0-12 months

stroking lateral aspect of foot

extension and fanning of toes

flexor withdrawal

0-2 months

sharp, quick pressure to sole of foot or palm of hand

withdrawal of stimulated extremity

crossed extension

0-2 months

sharp, quick pressure to sole of foot

extension of opposite extremity

galant/trunk incurvation

0-2 months

sharp stroke along paravertebral line from scapula to iliac crest

lateral flexion toward stimulated side

moro reflex

0-4 months

sudden extension of neck

flexion and abduction of shoulders and extension of elbows

primary standing reaction

1-2 months

holding infant in standing

infant supports weight and extends LEs

primary walking

0-2 months

hold infant in supported stand and tilt trunk forward slightly

reciprocal stepping motions in the LEs

neonatal neck righting

0-6 months

turn head when infant in supine

body logrolls to same side

rooting

0-3 months

stroking of perioral region

head turning to stimulated side with mouth opening

sucking

0-6 months

touch to lips tongue or palate

automatic sucking

startle

0-6 months

loud noise, sudden light, or cold stimulus

sudden jerking of whole body, or UE extension and abuction followed by shoulder adduction

tonic labyrinthine reflex

0-6 months

prone or supine

max flexor tone in prone, max extensor tone in supine

asymmetric tonic neck reflex

0-5 months

rotation of head

extension of face side extremities and flexion of skull side extremities

palmer grasp

0-4 months

pressure against palm

grasping of object

plantar grasp

0-9 months

pressure stimulus to sole, or lowering feet to floor

curling of toes

placing reaction

0-6 months

drag dorsum of foot or back of hand against edge of table

placing foot or hand onto table top

traction/pull to sit

0-4/5 months

pull infant to sit from supine

UES will flex, head lag present

optical labyrinthine righting

1 month-throughout life

tilt body

head orients to vertical position

protective extension

downward 4 months, forward 6 months, sideward 7 months, backward 9 months

quick displacement of trunk in downward direction while held, or while sitting in forward, sideward, or backward direction

extension of legs in downward direction and extension of arms in sitting position to catch weight

body righting reaction on the head

4-6 months throughout life

contact of body on solid surface

head righting with respect to gravity

body righting reaction on the body

6-8 months throughout life

rotation of head or thorax

rolling over with rotation between trunk and pelvis

symmetric tonic neck reflex

6-8 months

extension or flexion of cervical joints

UE extension/LE flexion or UE flexion/LE extension

landau reaction

4-18 months

infant held in ventral suspension

extension of neck, trunk, and hips

tilting reactions

prone 5 months, supine 7 months, sitting 8 months, quadruped 12 months

slow shifting of BOS or slow displacement of body in space

lateral flexion of spine toward elevated side of support, extremity abduction on elevated side, sometimes trunk rotation toward elevated side