This document defines and describes various neonatal reflexes seen in newborns and infants. It outlines general body reflexes including Moro, palmer/grasp, and Babinski's reflexes. It also discusses facial reflexes such as blink, doll's eye, and corneal reflexes. Finally, it examines oral reflexes including rooting, sucking, and gag reflexes. These primitive reflexes are present at birth and disappear over the first year as the nervous system develops and matures. Their presence indicates normal neurological development in infants.

1. NEONATAL
REFLEXESBY: Mariyam Berak

2. CONTENTS
➤ DEFINATION
➤ TYPES OF REFLEXES
➤ GENERAL BODY REFLEXES
➤ FACIAL REFLEXES
➤ ORAL REFLEXES

3. NEONATAL AND INFANTILE REFLEXES
➤These are primitive reflexes , are peculiar to
infants, and disappear with maturation of
nervous system.
➤A normally developing newborn should
respond to certain stimuli with these
reflexes, which eventually become inhibited
during 3 to 12 months of postnatal life.

4. GENERAL BODY REFLEXES
➤ MORO REFLEX
➤ PALMER/GRASP REFLEX
➤ BABINSKI’S REFLEX

5. MORO’S REFLEX
➤ Any sudden movements of
the neck initiate the reflex.
➤ Elicited by: Pulling the baby
half way to a siting position
from the supine and
suddenly let the head fall
back to a short distance.
➤ Consists of rapid abduction
and extension of arms with
the opening of hands.The
arms then come together as
in embrace.

6. PALMER/GRASP
REFLEX➤ When the baby’s palm is
stimulated the hand closes.
➤ There is also a
corresponding planter
reflex.
➤ Both normally disappear by
24 months.

7. BABINSKI’S
REFLEX➤ Stroking of the lateral
surface of the planter
surface of the foot from the
heel to toe results in
upward movement of big
toe and other toe’s fan out.

8. FACIAL REFLEXES
➤ BLINK REFLEX
➤ DOLL’S EYE REFLEX
➤ CORNEAL REFLEX

9. BLINK REFLEX
➤ Various stimuli provoke
blinking.
➤ whether the child is awake
or sleep, pupils of the eye
react to changes in intensity
of light.

10. DOLL’S EYE
REFLEX➤ Infants hold fixation of
faces, movements of
changing intensity of light
with in their visual fields.
➤ During the first week they
are able to maintain these
fixations against passive
movements of their bodies.

11. CORNEAL
REFLEX➤ Blinking when the cornea is
touched.
➤ Demonstration of these
reflexes show that the
stimuli of touch, sound and
light has been perceived
and cerebral depression is
unlikely.

12. ORAL REFLEXES
➤ Rooting Reflex
➤ Sucking Reflex
➤ Gag Reflex

13. ➤ When then infants cheek
contacts the mother’s
breast, the baby’s mouth
results in vigorous sucking
movements resulting in the
baby rooting for milk.
➤ Onset ; 28 weeks IU.
➤ Well stablished; 32-34
weeks IU.
➤ Disappears 3-4 months.
ROOTING REFLEX

14. SUCKING REFLEX
➤Onset - 28 weeks IU.
➤Well- stablished 32-34
weeks IU.
➤Disappear around ; 12
months.
➤Elicited by; introducing
finger in the mouth.

15. GAG REFLEX
➤Seen at 18 and half
weeks of IU life.
➤In buccal cavity and
pharynx, the
ectoderm/endoderm
zone is towards the
post. 3rd of tongue.
➤Touching here elicits a
gag reflex, a protective
reflex.