1. Infant Reflexes and Stereotypies
Chapter 9
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2. Motor Development in Infancy
Two type of movements are characteristic of the first several months of life:
Infant reflexes
Stereotypies
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Infant Reflexes
Last four months of prenatal life and first four months after birth
Involuntary and subcortical
Total number is unknown
Help to secure nourishment and protection
Provide information on infant health and neurological maturation
Some persevere past infancy: Lifespan reflexes
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4. Expected Time of Occurrence of Selected Infant Reflexes
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Primitive Reflexes
Symmetric tonic next reflex
Plantar grasp reflex
Babinski reflex
Palmar mandibular reflex
Palmar mental reflex
Palmar grasp reflex
Sucking reflex
Search reflex
Moro reflex
Startle reflex
Asymmetric tonic neck reflex
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Palmar grasp reflex
Sucking reflex
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Moro reflex
Search reflex
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Asymmetric tonic
neck reflex
Symmetric tonic
neck reflex
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Plantar grasp reflex
Babinski reflex
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Palmar mandibular reflex
Palmar mental reflex
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Postural Reflexes
Stepping reflex
Crawling reflex
Swimming reflex
Head-righting reflex
Body-righting reflex
Parachuting reflex
Labyrinthine reflex
Pull-up reflex
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Crawling reflex
Stepping reflex
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Head-righting reflex
Swimming reflex
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Parachuting reflex
Body-righting reflex
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Pull-up reflex
Labryinthine reflex
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16. Reflexes as Diagnostic Tools
Age specific
Indicators of an infant’s neurological maturation
Cerebral palsy
Tested during routine physical examinations by trained professionals
Milani Comparetti Neuromotor Developmental Examination
Primitive Reflex Profile
Also used as diagnostic tools with adults
Parkinson’s disease
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17. Reflecting on Infant Reflexes and Developing Future Movement
After reading the discussion on page 216 of the text, do you agree that reflexes provide a form of practice that helps an infant attain future movement?
Or do you believe that reflexes are simply involuntary and have no link to later voluntary movement?
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Stereotypies
Rhythmical, patterned, seemingly centrally controlled movements
In adults: A sign of atypical development; mental or emotional disorders
In infants: Considered typical behavior that provides evidence of functional maturation of neurological system
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Videos—Reflexes
Palmar Grasp Reflex
Sucking Reflex
Search (Rooting) Reflex
Moro Reflex
Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex
Plantar Grasp Reflex
Babinski Reflex
Stepping Reflex
Swimming Reflex
Parachuting Reflex
Pull-Up Reflex
Visit YouTube to watch videos of these various reflexes,
some in infants as young as 30-minutes old.
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