MAJOR REFLEXES PRESENT IN FULL-TERM NEONATES

• MAJOR REFLEXES PRESENT IN FULL-TERM NEONATES


  -          preterm infants may show little or no evidences of primitive reflexes at birth, and their survival reflex are likely to be weak

  -          missing primitive reflexes typically appear soon after birth and disappears a little later than they do among full terms
• SURVIVAL REFLEXES

  -          Breathing Reflex

  -          Eye-blink Reflex

  -          Pupillary Reflex

  -          Rooting Reflex Bottle

  -          Sucking/Swallowing Reflex
• Breathing Reflex


  -          response: repetitive inhalation and expiration

  -          development and course: permanent

  -          significance: provides oxygen and expels carbon dioxide
• Eye-blink Reflex


  -          response: closing/ blinking the eyes

  -          significance: protects the eyes from bright light or foreign objects
• Pupillary Reflex


  -          response: construction of pupils to bright light; dilation to dark or dimly lit surroundings

  -          significance: protect against bright lights; adapts the visual system to low illumination
• Rooting Reflex Bottle


  -          response: turning the head in the direction of a tactile (touch) stimulus to the cheek

  -          development and course: disappears over the first few weeks of life and is replaced by voluntary head turning

  -          significance: orients baby to the breast or bottle
• Sucking/Swallowing Reflex


  -          response: sucking on objects placed (or taken) into the mouth/ swallowing

  -          significance: allows baby to take in nutrients
• PRIMITIVE REFLEXES


  -          Babinski Reflex

  -          Palmar Grasping Reflex

  -          Moro Reflex

  -          Swimming Reflex

  -          Stepping Reflex
• Babinski Reflex


  -          response: fanning and curling the toes when the bottom of the foot is stroked

  -          development and course: usually disappears within the first eight months to one year of life

  -          significance: its presence in birth and disappearance in the first year are an indication of normal neurological development
• Palmar Grasping Reflex


  -          response: curling of the fingers around objects (such as finger) that touch the baby’s palm

  -          development and course: disappears in the first three to five months and is then replaced by a voluntary grasp
• Moro Reflex

  -          response: loud noise or sudden change in the position of the baby’s head will cause the baby to throw his or her arms outward, arch the back, and then bring the arms toward each other as if to hold onto something

  -          development and course: the arm movements and arching of the back disappears over the first four to six months; however, the child continues to react to unexpected noise or a loss of bodily support by showing startle reflex (do not disappear)
• Swimming Reflex


  -          response: infant immersed in water will display active movements of the arms and legs and involuntarily hold his or her breath (thus giving body buoyancy); this swimming reflex will keep an infant afloat for some time, allowing easy rescue

  -          development and course: disappears in the first four to six months
• Stepping Reflex


  -          response: infants held uptight so that their feet touch a flat surface will step as if to walk

  -          development and course: disappears in the first eight weeks unless the infant has regular opportunities to practice this response