Neonatal reflexes.

What are neonatal reflexes?

Neonatal reflexes are automatic, instinctual movements or responses that babies and young children exhibit in response to certain stimuli. These reflexes are typically present from birth and gradually disappear as a child's nervous system matures and more sophisticated voluntary movements develop. Primitive reflexes serve various purposes during early development, such as helping with essential motor skills, sensory integration, and cognitive development. They are essential markers of normal neurological development in infants and young children.

The integration of primitive reflexes is vital for the normal progression of a child's development. It enables the transition from instinctual, involuntary movements to controlled, purposeful actions, setting the stage for healthy physical, cognitive, and emotional growth.

  • The ATNR reflex is necessary for developing muscle tone and the vestibular system. It enables baby to “corkscrew” down the birth canal during the birthing process. It also assists in developing good hand-eye coordination. Retention is associated with;

    • Difficulty with tasks involving both sides of the body

    • Cannot separate eyes with rest of the body

    • Poor eye tracking/judgement (i.e reading)

    • Difficulty bike riding (turning the head may result in veering off to one side)

    • Swimming strokes requiring head turning may be difficult

  • Facilitating crawling and coordination, this reflex encourages the baby to get onto their hands and knees (i.e for crawling). Retention is associated with;

    • Delayed crawling

    • Poor posture due to a decrease in muscle tone

    • Poor hand-eye coordination

    • Poor sensory integration

    • Walking like an ape

    • Long-sightedness

    • Poor organisational and planning skills

    • Slow to copy tasks (i.e when copying from board at school, eye have trouble focusing far to near)

  • A reflex that causes the baby to twist or curve the lower body when stimulated on one side, supporting movement and development. A retained Spinal Galant Reflex is associated with;

    • Child wriggles, squirms and constantly changed body position

    • Poor bladder control

    • If on one side, may affect posture and gait and give illusion of a limp

    • Clumsiness while trying to manipulate objects

    • may interfere with full development of the later occurring postural reflexes, affecting mobility in physical activities or sports

  • Often known as the startle response, the Moro reflex is linked to the fight or flight response. This response leads to either fighting or running away and if not integrated, can lead to hyperactivity. A retained Moro reflex is associated with;

    • Hypersensitivity to senses (touch, light, sound, stress)

    • Generalised hyperactivity

    • Overactive fight or flight response (child may be aggressive, overactive or highly excitable)

    • Easily startled (jumpy)

    • Sensitivity to foods or food additives

    • Emotional and social immaturity

    • Difficulty socialising/giving or receiving affection

  • This reflex can be stimulated by stroking the sole of the foot, which leads to a spreading of the toes. It is a sign often used to determine nervous system maturity. Retention is associated with;

    • Rolling out of foot on the side the reflex is present

    • Toe walking

    • Issues with proprioceptive and vestibular system

    • Trouble balancing

    • Gravitational insecurity (swings, slides, climbing)

    • Motion sickness (car sickness, rides make child sick)

    • External rotation of the hip when standing (feel turn out)

  • Babies instinctively grasp objects placed in their palms, this is due to the palmar reflex. It is very important for developing fine motor skills and enhancing sensory input. Retention is associated with;

    • Messy handwriting, poor ability to process ideas and write them down

    • Poor pencil grip

    • Able to copy words, but difficult in spelling

    • Poor manual dexterity with other activities

    • Slumped posture when performing fine motor tasks

  • When the baby's cheek is touched, they instinctively turn their head and open their mouth, assisting with breastfeeding and feeding behaviours. Retention is associated with;

    • Hypersensitivity around lips and mouth

    • Tongue may remain too far forward, resulting in speech and articulation problems, dribbling, difficulty swallowing and chewing

    • May be fussy eater or thumb sucker

  • A reflex that influences head and body alignment, particularly important for motor coordination and balance and working out where the body is in space. It helps to develop muscle tone, stability, balance, posture, coordination and head and neck control. Retention is associated with;

    • Difficulty with auditory processing

    • May suffer motion sickness

    • Clumsiness - always falling over, bumping into things

    • If head control is lacking, eye functioning will also be impaired due to their interconnectedness

  • The natural freeze response, where the body temporarily becomes immobile in response to perceived fear or stress.

  • The Landau reflex is when your baby tries to lift their head, back and legs when laying on their belly. Its purpose is to begin coordination between the upper and lower extremities. Retention is associated with;

    • Insufficient stimulation of the prefrontal cortex (may present as emotional dysregulation, ability to focus, decreased learning ability)

    • Poor short-term memory

    • Poor sleep patterns

    • Decreased pain regulation (i.e may feel more pain in general and often wider spread pain. For example, if they stub their toe, they may feel it all over the leg rather than just in their toe)