reflexes

rooting

• 28 weeks - 3 months

• stimulus: stroke corner of mouth, upper & lower lip

• response: movement of tongue and mouth towards stimulus

suck-swallow

• 28 weeks gestation - 2-5 months

• stimulus: finger inside infant’s mouth while head in midline

• response: strong, rhythmical sucking

traction

• 28 weeks gestation - 2-5 months

• stimulus: grasp infants forearms and pull to sit

• response: complete flexion of UEs

moro

• 28 weeks gestation - 4-6 months

• stimulus: rapidly drop infant’s head backward

• response:

  • first phase: arm extension/abduction; hand opening

  • second phase: arm flexion and adduction

plantar grasp

• 28 weeks gestation - 9 months

• stimulus: pressure on ball of infants foot

• response: toe flexion

galant

• 32 weeks gestation - 2 months

• stimulus: infant in prone suspension, scratch/tap alongside spine

• response: lateral trunk flexion and skin wrinkling on stimulated side

asymmetric tonic neck (ATNR)

• 37 weeks gestation - 4-6 months

• stimulus: rotate head and hold for 5 sec

• response: extension of extremities on face side, flexion on skull side

palmar grasp

• 37 weeks gestation - 4-6 months

• stimulus: finger in palm

• response: finger flexion; reflexive grasp

tonic labyrunthine-supine

• >37 weeks gestation - 6 months

• stimulus: infant in supine

• response: increased extensor tone

tonic labyrinthine prone

• >37 weeks gestation - 6 months

• stimulus: infant in prone

• response: increased flexor tone

landau

• 3-4 months - 12-24 months

• stimulus: infant in horizontal prone suspension

• response: complete extension of head, trunk, extremities

symmetric tonic neck

• 4-6 months - 8-12 months

• stimulus: infant in crawling position and extend head

• response: flexion of hip and knees

neck righting (on body) (NOB)

• 4-6 months - 5 years

• stimulus: infant in supine and fully turn head to one side

• response: log rolling of entire body to maintain alignment

body righting (on body) (BOB)

• 4-6 months - 5 years

• stimulus: infant in supine, flex one hip and knee toward chest

• response: segmental rolling of upper trunk to maintain alignment

labyrinthine/optical (head) righting

• birth/2 months

• stimulus: infant suspended vertically and tilt to the side, forward, and backward

• response: upright positioning of head

downward parachute (protective extension downward)

• 4 months

• stimulus: rapidly lower infant toward supporting surface while suspended vertically

• response: extension of LEs

forward parachute (protective extension forward)

• 6-9 months

• stimulus: rapidly tip infant forward toward supporting surface while suspended vertically

• response: sudden extension of UEs, hand opening, and neck extension

sideward parachute (protective extension sideward)

• 7 months

• stimulus: quickly but firmly tip infant off balance to the side while in the sitting position

• response: arm extension and abduction to the side

backward parachute (protective extension backward)

• 9/10 months

• stimulus: quickly but firmly tip infant off-balance backwards

• response: backward arm extension or arm extension to one side spinal rotation

prone tilting

• 5 months

• stimulus: infant in prone, slowly raise one side of the supporting surface

• response: curving of spine toward the raised side; abduction/extension of arms and legs

supine and sitting tilting

• 7/8 months

• stimulus: infant in supine or sitting, slowly raise one side of the supporting surface

• response: curving of spine toward the raised side; abduction/extension of arms and legs

quadruped tilting

• 9/12 months

• stimulus: infant in quadruped, slowly raise one side of the supporting surface

• response: curving of spine toward the raised side; abduction/extension of arms and legs

standing tilting

• 12/21 months

• stimulus: infant standing, slowly raise one side of the supporting surface

• response: curving of spine toward the raised side; abduction/extension of arms and legs