Infant Motor Behaviors – Completed Checklist Tables
Primitive Reflexes/ Stereotypies
Reflex Name
How to elicit the reflex
Palmar grasp
Plantar grasp
Babinski
Moro
Rooting
Sucking
Stepping
Placing
Swimming
Apply pressure to palm of
hand at base of digits
Apply pressure to sole of foot
at base of digits (toes)
Stroke sole of foot from heel
to toes
Lower baby’s head rapidly
while cradling in arms
Lightly stroke the cheek near
one side of mouth
Place clean object on tongue
or in mouth
Hold upright & alternately let
feet touch table surface
Touch dorsal foot surface
with table edge
Place prone in water, w/ or
w/out face in water
Place prone on flat surface
Crawling
ATNR
Turn head either to left or
right (or get baby to turn it)
Flex or extend head while
suspend/supporting body
Place head in prone or supine
TLR
position
Supine leg kicking Place infant on back (supine)
STNR
Stimulus/ energy
physical pressure mechanical energy
head acceleration kinetic energy
light pressure and
mechanical energy
physical pressure mechanical energy
CNS arousal?
vestibular/ cutaneous
Sensory receptor
tactile/ cutaneous
receptors of hand
tactile/ cutaneous
receptors of foot
receptors entire sole
of foot, tactile
vestibular - semicircular canals
tactile/cutaneous
receptors of cheek
cutaneous receptor
of tongue &mouth
cutaneous receptor
of plantar foot
cutaneous receptor
of dorsal foot skin
unclear - inner ear?
skin? or PNS motor
neurons?
Response
Apparent function
flexion of digits (fingers)
2-5, but not the thumb
flexion of digits (toes)
2-5, but not the pollux
extension and fanning of toes
unknown: atavistic?
aid clinging/ no fall
unknown: vestigial?
aid clinging/ no fall
unknown: used to
screen SCI/ CNS
unknown: atavistic?
prenatal PMP posit?
unknown: PMP for
survival after birth?
Extension of 4 limbs,
followed by flexion
mouth opens, tongue moves
and head turns toward
rhythmic action of tongue
pressing against soft palate
Alternate hip/ knee flexion, +
often external rotation
Hip/knee flexion, followed by
“placing” on tabletop
Alternate + cross lateral limb
flexion/extension w/ lateral
trunk flexion
Alternate flexion/ extension
of limbs, lat. trunk flexion
muscle propriocept- Fencer pose: arm extension
ors of neck
on face side, arm flexion
Asymmetric neck
muscle stretch proprioceptors
sym neck muscle
stretch - proprioceptor
vestibular - head
otolith organ of
position re gravity
inner ear
Internal arousal
N.A.
Arms = head action; feet
opposite
Prone = limb flexion
Supine = limb extension
Flexion-extension of 1-2 legs
occur spontaneously
unknown: integrate
to vol. locomotion?
unknown: integrate
in aquatic loco.?
unknown: integrate
in crawling?
unknown: prenatal
PMP for position?
Hardwired neural
circuits
Infant Motor Behaviors – Completed Checklist Tables
Lifespan, Nondevelopmental Reflexes/ Stereotypies
Reflex Name
How to elicit the reflex
Stimulus/ energy
Pupillary
shine bright light in eye
after being in the dark
Vestibulo-ocular Quickly spin person
(nystagmus)
around longitudinal axis
intensity of light electromagnetic
spectrum
acceleration of head mechanical energy
Heart rate
Quickly move object
toward eye or puff of air
or foreign object (dust)
Change emotional state;
exercise; fright-fight
Breathing
Change emotional or
exercise state of body
varies, but involves
increased excitatory
nervous stimulation
CO2 levels in arterial
blood supply
Epiglottal
Swallow liquid or solid
food
physical pressure mechanical energy
Eye blink
Flexor
withdrawl
Firmly tap a relaxed,
stretched tendon (eg
patellar, Achilles)
Noxious, painful, or tickle
stimulus to extremity
Crossed
extension
Elicit flexor withdrawl
reflex in opposite limb
Tendon stretch
Startle
Supine leg kick
Sudden, unexpected,
and/or intense light,
sound, touch, etc.
See previous sheet of
primitive reflexes
visual and/or
mechanical
any type of energy
that is unexpected,
intense, sudden
Sensory receptor
Response
retinal cells
especially cones
Apparent function
Pupil constricts with
increased light intensity;
dilates with low intensity
semicircular canals “ramp movement”of eye
of inner ear
with slow, tracking mvt
opposite rotation followed by
saccade in rot. direction
cutaneous receptors Rapid closing of eyelid over
of eyeball
eyeball; stimulation of tear
duct to lub. cornea
adjust light intensity
to retinal image;
protect cones
unknown - link head eye motion; maintain
balance; track objects?
Thalamus/
hypothalamus and
node of heart
intracirculatory
cells of CNS
circulate sufficient O2
to tissues/organs
laryngeal
swallowing
contractions
muscles spindles/
GTOs of muscle
cardiac muscle contractions
increase rate with exercise or
CNS activation
increased ventilatory rate/
contractions of diaphragm or
costal muscles
epiglottis contracts and
covers the bronchial opening
rapid contraction of
stimulated muscle
protect muscles from
overstretch
cutaneous receptor flexion of entire limb of
including free nerve stimulated extremity
ending
extension of entire limb
opposite stimulated
extremity
visual, auditory,
sudden, rapid limb extension
gustatory,vestibular or “startle” reaction
, proprioception
protect corneal surface
of eye
provide adequate O2
exchange in lungs for
circulation
protect bronchia from
foreign obj.
remove limb from
noxious stimulus
support body during
withdrawl
“flight or fight”
preparation - CNS
activation
Infant Motor Behaviors – Completed Checklist Tables
Postural, Equilibrium Reactions
Reaction
Righting
Head
Sagittal trunk
pivot prone/Landau
Derotative
Parachute/propping
Downward - arms
How reaction is elicited
Stimulus/ energy
Body out of alignment w/ grav. gravitational force
Place infant in prone position on
head position in
flat surface
relation to gravity
Sensory receptor
vestibular apparatus
otolith organ - inner
ear
Place infant in prone position on
flat surface
Response
generically to align w/ gravity
Head hyperextends at neck,
raising face from surface
Apparent function
maintain upright posture
Get head upright in space,
aligned with gravity
Trunk hyperextends, arching
head and legs off surface
Get trunk upright/ aligned and
minimize energy use
Place infant in prone position on
flat surface
Place infant supine and twist legs
and/or shoulder girdle
physical energy muscle stretch
muscle receptors, esp
muscle spindles
Opposite segment “untwists” in
direction of twisted segment
To reduce muscle stretch/
keep segments aligned
Downward - legs
Sideward/
lateral
body downward quickly
Displace infant laterally in a
quick motion
Acceleration - kinetic
downward
acceleration/
kinetic energy
lateral acceleration
kinetic energy
Forward/
anterior
Quickly displace infant in the
anterior direction/plane
anterior acceleration/
kinetic energy
hair cells of semicircular canals
Arms extend anteriorly in
direction of the fall
Anticipate and cushion
impact from forward fall
Backward/
posterior
Quickly displace infant in the
posterior direction/plane
posterior acceleration/
kinetic energy
hair cells of semicircular canals
Arms extend posteriorly in
direction of the fall
Anticipate and cushion
impact from backward fall
displacing support surface
vestibular/propriocept
adjustment of head/torso
Keep alignment w/ grav.
Prone
In prone position, tilt support
surface forward or backward
head position in space
+ muscle stretch
inner ear + muscle
spindles
otolith organ of inner
ear + proprioceptors
Head and trunk move away
from direction of tilt
Minimize energy use and
maintain prone posture
Supine
In supine position, tilt support
surface forward or backward
Head and trunk move away
from direction of tilt
Minimize energy use and
maintain supine posture
Sitting
In sitting position, tilt support
surface to front/back/side
Trunk and spine move in
direction away from tilt
Minimize energy use and
maintain sitting posture
All-fours
On “all-fours,” tilt support
surface to front/back/side
Limb adjustment away from
direction of downward tilt
Minimize energy use and
maintain all-four balance
Standing
In upright/stand, tilt support
surface to front/back/side
Trunk and legs lean away from
direction of downward tilt
Minimize energy use and
maintain upright posture
Tilting
Body position changed quickly
In vertical position, displace
Get trunk upright/ aligned to
maintain vertical
vestibular apparatus
extension in direction of mvt
semicircular canals of Arms extend and abduct up
reduce pot. impact forces
Anticipate impact from
vestibular apparatus
hair cells of semicircular canals
Legs extend and abduct + down falling downward
Arms extend laterally in
Anticipate and cushion
direction of the fall
impact from sideward fall
Infant Motor Behaviors – Completed Checklist Tables
Voluntary Motor Skills (a.k.a. Motor Milestones)
Motor skill
Rolling over
allow person to change
prone to supine or vs.
rotation of head, trunk, pelvis, leg
action, arm action
from inability to roll over to turn over
to twisting during turn over
Task factors movement
characteristics
surface characteristics, speed
demands, original position, ATNR
Sitting up
position trunk in upright
posture w/ pelvis-leg base
trunk posture, head posture, leg
position, arm action
from inability to sit up independently
to partial sit to upright sit
sitting surface, presence of back or
sit support, strength, CNS
Crawling
locomotion while in prone
position – trunk contact
head position, trunk in contact with from no crawling to initial attempts to
surface, arm/leg actions
advanced crawling with progress
head position, trunk action, arm
and leg actions
head position, quadripedal surface
contact, arm/ leg actions
from crawling action w/trunk touching
to rapid, all-4s creeping movement
distance to cover, height of mvt
space, type of surface, strength
Standing
Locomotion in prone
position with quadripedal
contact
maintaining upright posture
with feet as base of support
head posture, trunk posture, leg
action/posture; arm position/action
inability to stand to standing with assist surface char., arm support, trunk
to standing independently
support, leg strength, balance
Independent
Walking
upright locomotion on feet
w/alternating leg action
trunk/pelvic action, leg action, arm
action
no walking to cruising to independent
walking to heel-toe action/alt. arms
Creeping
Goal/ function of skill
Critical features/ components
Changing movement characteristics
surface characteristics, arm/trunk
support, leg strength, balance
Fundamental Motor Skills
Jumping
upright locomotion on feet
from 2 feet to 2 feet
Galloping/ Sliding Step + backward leap/ side
facing
Running/ Leaping upright locomotion alt. leg
action w/ flight phase
Hopping
upright locomotion - w/
weight shift on 1 leg only
Skipping
Step and hop on alternate
feet with uneven rhythm
Throwing /Striking Projecting/sending away a
ball from the hand of
person or using implement
Kicking
Projecting a ball with foot
trunk action, leg action, arm action; from no jump to step down to
different phases of mvt
momentary flight to bounce jump etc.
Leg action, arm action
From no leap and same lead leg to
leaping with either leg leading
trunk/pelvis action, leg action, arm from no run to momentary run to
action, stance vs swing phase
advanced run with different speeds
leg action, arm action movement
from pre-hop through 4 steps of leg
components
and 5 steps of arm actions
Leg action, arm action
From single side skip to 2-side skip on
ball of foot landing; bilateral to oppos.
foot/leg, trunk, forearm, humerus
4 steps in leg, 3 trunk, 3 forearm, 3
actions, backswing components
humerus, 4 backswing components
surface char., distance, height,
time, leg strength
Speed, direction, lead leg, obstacles
Prep. backswing, step, trunk
Segmented action to integrated
Size of ball, distance, mvt. ball
Catching
Arms, hands, trunk
3 components with different levels
Size, weight of ball, trajectory,
distance, speed, color contrast
speed, surface type, surface hgt, use
of hands, clothing, body comp
Rising to Stand
from Supine
Receiving or gathering in
object
getting up from lying
supine to upright stand
upper extremity, trunk(axial), lower 6 steps in upper extremity, 5 steps in
extremity components
trunk, 5 steps in lower extremity
surface, speed, distance, leg
strength
distance to hop, speed, obstacles,
leg strength, balance
Distance to skip, speed, obstacles,
leg strength, balance
force/distance, ball-hand ratio,
target size/accuracy/mvt, body size