PRIMITIVE REFLEXES
REFLEX ONSET- STIMULUS RESPONSE RELEVANCE
INTEG
Rooting 28 weeks Stroke corner Movement Search / locate
gestation of tongue/mouth food source
– 3 mon. mouth / head toward
stimulus
Suck- Swallow 28 weeks Finger in Strong rhythmic Feeding
gestation – mouth,
2-5 mon. head midline
Traction 28 weeks Grasp Flexion of upper Enhances
gestation – forearms extremity momentary
2-5 months for pull-to-sit reflexive grasp
Moro (Startle) 28 weeks Rapidly drop Arm extension / Depart from
gestation head abduction dominant
– 9 mon. backwards flexion
Clap / make a Hand opening, Protection from
loud noise then arm flexion feeling of
/ adduction insecurity of
support
Startle (sound) 7 months – 1 Loud noise Flex arms and Reaction to
year legs feeling of
In security
Palmar- Grasp 37 weeks Examiner Finger flexion; Tactile input to
gestation – finger in palm Reflexive grasp hand
4-6 mon.
Babinski Observed at Pressure along Big toe goes up Tactile input to
birth; gone by sole of foot, and toes fan out foot
4 from heel to
months ball
of small toe
Plantar Grasp 28 weeks Press ball of Toe flexion Tactile input to
gestation – 9 foot foot
mon.
SPINAL REFLEXES
REFLEX ONSET- INTEG STIMULUS RESPONSE
Flexor Withdrawal 3- 6 months Supine, legs relaxed; Stimulated leg
or prone, hips extended withdrawn from
and knees flexed stimulus; involves
Hip and knee flexion
Stimulate sole of foot
Extensor Thrust 6- 9 months Supine, legs relaxed Stimulated leg
Pressure on ball of extends
foot and spreading of
toes
Crossed Extemsion Disappears before Supine; stimulate Opposite leg
2nd month medial surface of adducts, extends
one leg by tapping or And internally rotates;
stroking foot plantar flexes
BRAINSTEM REFLEXES
REFLEX ONSET- STIMULUS RESPONSE RELEVANCE
INTEG
Asymmetric Tonic Neck 37 weeks Rotate head Extension of Promotes visual
gestation – and UE, LE face side, hand regard
4-6 hold 5 seconds flexion on skull
months side
Tonic Labyrinthine- Sup. >37 weeks Supine Increase Facilitates total
gestation – 6 Position extensor tone body extensor
months tone
Tonic Labyrinthine- Pron. >37 weeks Prone Position Increase Total body
gestation – 6 flexor tone flexor tone
months
Symmetric Tonic Neck 4-6 months – Infant in Flexion of hips Break extensor
8- quadruped, and knees; posture;
12 months extend/dorsifle Extension of Facilitate
x arms quadruped
head
Positive Supportin Reax. 2 – 4 months Upright, held in Increase Supporting
standing; extension of reaction
Body lowered legs to accept
until feet touch body weight
the surface
Neg. Supporting Reax. 2 – 4 months Upright, held in Increased Supporting
standing; flexion of legs reaction
Bounce or active flexion
several of knees and
times and then hips
hold in space
BALANCE REACTIONS
a. Righting Reactions
REFLEX ONSET- STIMULUS RESPONSE RELEVANCE
INTEG
Neck Righting on Body- 4-6 months – Supine, fully Log roll of body Maintain
Midbrain 5 turn head to head/body
years one side align; Roll
(ambulation)
Body Righing on body- 4 months – 5 Supine, flex 1 Supine, flex 1 Facilitates total
Midbrain years hip and knee hip and knee to body extensor
to chest chest tone
Landau- Auto. Movements 3-4 months – Horizontal Extension of Break flexor
12-24 months Prone Position head, trunk dominance;
and extremities facilitate prone
extension
Labyrinthine/ Optical Birth-2 Suspended Upright Orient head in
(head) Righting- Cortex months vertically; tilt position of space; face
– persists head 45 head vertical
degree
to side,
forward and
back
b. Protective / Parachute Reactions
REFLEX ONSET- STIMULUS RESPONSE RELEVANCE
INTEG
Parachute Reaction/ 4 months – Rapidly lower Extension of LE Accurate
Protective Extension persists infant to placement of LE
Downward surface while to surface
suspended
vertically
Parachute Forward 6-7 months - Tip forward Extension of Accurate
persists while vertically UE, hand open, placement of
suspended neck extension UE; prevent fall
Parachute Sideward 6-11 months Tip to side in Arm extension Support body
– sitting and abduction for unilateral
persists to side use of opposite
arm; prevent
fall
Parachute Backward 9-12 months Tip off-balance Arm extend to Unilateral
– backward back or to 1 facilitate spinal
persists side rotation,
prevent falling
c. Equilibrium Reactions
REFLEX ONSET- INTEG STIMULUS RELEVANCE
Prone Tilting 5 months – Prone, raise 1 side Curve spine to raised
persists of supporting side,
surface abduction/extension
of UE/LE
Supine Tilting & Sitting 7-8 months – Supine/sitting, raise Same as above
Tilting persists 1 side of supporting
surface
Quadruplet Tilting 9-12 months – Quadruped, same Same as above
persists as above
Standing Tilting 12-21 months - Standing, same as Same as above
persists above
d. Other Cortical Level Reflexes
REFLEX ONSET- INTEG STIMULUS RELEVANCE
Kneel Standing 15 months - Kneel-standing, pull Righting of head
persists individual or tilt to and thorax,
one side abduction and
extension of arms
and legs on raised
side and protective
reaction on lowered
side
Hopping 15-18 months - Hold standing Righting of head
persists individual by upper and thorax and
arms, move infant hopping steps
forward, backward,
and from side to
side
Dorsiflexion 15-18 months - Hold standing Total body
persists individual under the flexor tone
axilla and tilt
him/her backward
Seesaw 15 months - With individual Righting of the head
persists standing, hold the and thorax, slight
hand and foot with abduction and fall
the hip and knee extension of
flexed manually flexed
knee to maintain
Gently pull arm equilibrium
forward and slightly
Simian 15-18 months - With individual in Righting of the head
persists standing, tilt and thorax;
him/her to one side Abduction and
extension of arm
and leg on raised
side; Protective
reaction on the
lowered side
e. Other Postural Reactions
REFLEX ONSET- INTEG RESPONSE RELEVANCE
Pull- up 3-4 months – Infant in upright Flexion of arms to
firstyear sitting; Held by 1 or remain upright
both hands; tip baby
forward or backward
Crawling Present at birth – Infant in prone; Returned pressure
3-4 pressure on ball of and extensor thrust
months foot of opposite leg;
crawling motions of
UE
Primary Stepping Present during 1st Held erect with body Walking movement
Reflex 6 placed forward on of legs
weeks – 5 months flat surface
Swimming As early as 11th Prone position in or Rhythmical flexion
day over water and extension of
following birth – 4 arms and legs
months