Primitive Reflexes in Infants

Flexer withdrawal

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 28 weeks gestation

Age integrated: 1-2 months

Protection, pull from painful stimulus

Crossed extension

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 28 weeks gestation

Age integrated: 1-2 months

Helps maintain postural support with pain response

Rooting

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 28 weeks gestation

Age integrated: 3 months

Helps with feeding, survival, orientation

Palmer grasp

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 28 week gestation

Age integrated: 4-6 months

Helps hold on to caregiver

Red flag after 12 months if have not integrated

Moro

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 28 weeks gestation

Age integrated: 4-6 months

Helps with head control, alert to needs

Red flag after 6 months if have not integrated

Galant

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 28 weeks gestation

Age integrated: 3-9 months

Helps Hip ROM

If not integrated → scoliosis, poor sitting balance

Plantar grasp

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 28 weeks gestation

Age integrated: 9-12 months

Helps with standing stability

If not integrated: poor standing balance

Positive support

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: birth

Age integrated: 2-4 months

Helps prep for standing, prevent LOB

If not integrated: astasia

Stepping

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: birth

Age integrated: 2-4 months

Helps orient birth canal, teach walking

If not integrated: astasia

Proprioceptive placement

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: birth

Age integrated: 3-6 months

Helps prep hand/foot WB

If not integrated: presist to protect

Asymmetric tonic neck reflex (fencing posture)

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: birth

Age integrated: 4-6 months

Helps orient head to eyes/hand

Red flag if not integrated by 6 months → scoliosis, hip dysplasia, windswept hips, loose hip joint, torticollis, difficulty crossing midline, difficulty with bimanual activities

Tonic labyrinthine reflex

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: birth

Age integrated: 4-6 months

Helps develop spatial awareness against gravity

If not integrated: poor balance, gravitational insecurity, poor spatial awareness, oculomotor impairments

Babinski

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: birth

Age integrated: 12-24 months

Diagnostic test

Red flag if not integrated → later reemergence

Landau

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 3 months

Age integrated: 12 months

Helps with postural control

If not integrated: decreased postural control

Symmetric tonic neck reflex

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 4-6 months

Age integrated: 8-9 months

Helps attain quadrupled

If not integrated: decreased limp coordination, bunny hop, decreased visual depth perception

Parachute

Age appears:

Age integrated:

Age appears: 6-9 months

Age integrated: persists

Protective reaction

Absence → decreased postural control