This document summarizes several primitive and protective reflexes seen in infants, including the age at which each reflex appears and disappears. It lists 8 primitive reflexes - rooting, sucking, Moro, asymmetric tonic neck, palmar grasp, planter grasp, Babinski, and stepping - along with their descriptions and typical age ranges. It also outlines 4 protective reflexes - neck righting, parachute (sideways), parachute (forward), and parachute (backward) - and notes that they typically persist beyond the listed ages.

1. SELECTED PRIMITIVE AND
PROTECTIVE REFLEXES IN
INFANCY
BY
ULFAT AMIN
TUTOR NURSING
SMMCNMT, IUST

2. PRIMITIVE REFLEXES
REFLEXES DESCRIPTION AGE REFLEX
APPEARS
AGE REFLEX
DISAPPEARS
Rooting When infant’s cheek is
stroked, the infant turns to
that side, searching with
mouth.
Birth 3 months
Sucking Reflexive sucking when
nipple or finger is placed in
infant’s mouth.
Birth 2-5 months
Moros With sudden extension of
the head, arms abduct and
move upward and the
hands form a “C”
Birth 4 months

3. AGE REFLEX
APPEARS
AGE
REFLEX
DISAPPEA
RS
Asymmetri
c tonic
neck
While lying spine,
extremities are
extended on the
side of the body to
which the head is
turned and opposite
extremities are
flexed. Also called
as fencing position.
Birth 4 months
Palmar
grasp
Infant reflexively
grasps when palm is
touched.
Birth 4-6
months

4. AGE
REFLEX
APPEARS
AGE
REFLEX
DISAPPEA
RS
Planter
grasp
Infant reflexively grasps
with bottom of foot when
pressure is applied to
plantar surface.
Birth 9 months
Babinski Stroking along the lateral
aspect of the sole and
across the plantar surface
results in fanning and
hyperextension of toes.
Birth 12 months
Stepping With one foot on a flat
surface, the infant puts
the other foot down as if
to “step”
Birth 4-8 weeks

5. PROTECTIVE REFLEXES
Neck
righting
Neck keeps
head in
upright
position when
body is tilted.
4-6
months
Persists
Parachute
(sideways
)
Proctective
extension with
the arms
when tilted to
the side in a
supported
sitting position
6
months Persists

6. Parachute
(forward)
Protective extension
with the arms when
held up in the air
and moved forward.
The infant
reflexively reaches
forward to catch
himself/herself.
6-7
months
Persists
Parachute
(backward
)
Protective extension
with arms when
titled backward.
9-10
months
Persists

7. THANK YOU