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Student’s Name____________________________________
Reflex
Rooting
Suck
Palmar
Newborn Reflexes
Plantar
Babinski
Gallant
Stepping
Tonic Neck
Moro/Startle
4 Months
1 year
2-3 Months
8-9 Months
1 Month
3-4 Months
4 Months
5-6 Months
Method of
Testing
Expected
Response
Abnormal
Response and
Cause
Disappears
Joyce Saxton RN, APRN Revised by A Roberts-Ellis RN, MSN 2018
1year
2
Plantar
Grasp
Babinski
Stroke the
Apply
Place a finger
infant's cheek Place a gloved
pressure to
in the infant's
the sole of
Method of or corner of finger or nipple
palm and
the
mouth
in
the
infant's
the foot at
Testing
apply slight
with a finger mouth.
the base of
pressure.
or nipple.
the toes.
Stroke the
sole of the
foot from
heel to toe.
Rooting
Expected
Response
Infant turns
head toward
the stimulus
and opens
mouth,
searching for
the nipple.
Suck
Palmar
Grasp
Infant's
Rhythmic
fingers curl Toes flex
Toes fan
sucking occurs
tightly around downward in outward and
as a reflexive
the
response to big toe
response to oral
examiner's
pressure.
dorsiflexes.
stimulation.
finger.
Gallant
Tonic Neck
Moro
(Trunk
Stepping
(Fencing
(Startle
Incurvation)
Reflex)
Reflex)
Stroke one
Create a
side of the
sudden noise
Hold infant Turn the
infant's spine
or let the
upright with infant's head
while the
infant's head
feet touching to one side
infant is held
drop slightly
a flat surface. while supine.
in ventral
while
suspension.
supported.
Arm and leg
Infant's arms
on the turnedInfant makes
extend
Infant's trunk
to side
stepping
outward
curves toward
extend, while
movements,
with fingers
the side that
the opposite
appearing as
spread, then
was
side flexes,
if trying to
quickly
stimulated.
resembling a
walk.
retract while
fencing
crying.
position.
Weak or
Poor suck
Weak or
absent
reflex can be
absent grasp Absence of
response may due to
may indicate this reflex
a neurological may indicate
Abnormal indicate CNS prematurity,
Response depression, central nervous disorder such neurological
deficits or
and Cause prematurity, system (CNS) as cerebral
or
abnormalities, palsy or
spinal cord
neurological or neurological brachial
injury.
impairment. impairment.
plexus injury.
Persistent
response
beyond 1
year could
indicate
neurological
disorders
such as
cerebral
palsy.
Around 4
months, but Becomes
Disappears may persist voluntary by 1
longer during year.
sleep.
Normally
Disappears
disappears by around 1
1 year.
month.

Usually fades Disappears
by 2-3
around 8-9
months.
months.
Absence of
this reflex
may indicate
spinal cord
injury or
lower motor
neuron
disorders.
Absence or
asymmetry
may indicate
neurological
impairment
or lower
extremity
dysfunction.
If persistent Asymmetry
beyond 6
may indicate
months, may brachial
suggest
plexus
cerebral palsy injury;
or other
absence may
neurological suggest CNS
disorders.
damage.
Normally
Fades by 3-4 Disappears by disappears
months.
4 months.
by 5-6
months.
Newborn Reflexes: Chapter 21, pp. 530-532 and Neurological Assessment in Newborns: Chapter 22, pp. 550-552
Joyce Saxton RN, APRN Revised by A Roberts-Ellis RN, MSN 2018
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Joyce Saxton RN, APRN Revised by A Roberts-Ellis RN, MSN 2018