Here are the maneuvers for 11 newborn reflexes.
1. Blink Reflex
Rapid eye closure when an object approaches. Like in adults, it protects the eye. Elicit it by shining a strong light (flashlight, otoscope) on the eyes or moving an object suddenly toward them. It checks visual attentiveness.
2. Rooting Reflex
Brush the cheek or stroke near the mouth and the newborn turns toward that side. It helps the baby find the food source: when the mother's breast brushes the cheek, the baby turns and starts sucking. It usually fades by about 4 months as feeding comes under voluntary control (MedlinePlus, Infant reflexes).
3. Sucking Reflex
Touch the lips and the baby makes sucking motions. Like rooting, it helps the baby feed. Disappears around 6 months of age.
4. Extrusion Reflex
Until 4 months of age, food placed on the anterior tongue is pushed back out. It protects against swallowing toxic substances and is why solids start around 6 months.
5. Palmar Grasp Reflex
Place an object on the palm and the newborn grips it, sometimes strongly enough to be lifted momentarily from supine. It typically persists until about 5 to 6 months of age, when voluntary grasping takes over (StatPearls, Primitive Reflexes).
6. Walk-in-Place Reflex
Hold the newborn upright with feet on a hard surface and the baby takes a few alternating steps. Lasts until about 3 months, when the baby starts bearing real weight. A near-twin is the placing reflex: touch the anterior lower leg to the edge of a bassinet or table and the baby makes a few lifting, stepping-up motions.
7. Tonic Neck Reflex
Turn the head to one side and the extremities on that side extend while the opposite side flexes. Also called the fencing or boxer reflex. It appears to have no clear function but is linked to eye stimulation and handedness. Disappears between 8 and 12 weeks.
8. Moro Reflex
Most often elicited by the drop method: lift the baby off the bed supporting head and neck, then lower rapidly until only 4 to 8 inches remain between baby and bed, keeping the baby supine. A complete Moro is bilateral arm abduction, forearm extension, and full opening of the hands, then a slow return to midline and curling of the fingers. The startle reflex differs in that it lacks full extension and hand opening and can be triggered by sudden noise or movement.
9. Babinski Reflex
Stroke the sole in an inverted "J" from heel upward and the toes fan, with the big toe pulling up. A positive Babinski is a normal finding in infants and young children. It begins to disappear around 12 months and should be gone by about age 2; a positive Babinski after age 2 or in an adult points to a central nervous system problem (MedlinePlus, Infant reflexes).
10. Reflexes of Spinal Cord Integrity
Three tests check spinal cord integrity. Magnet reflex: press the soles of a supine newborn and the baby pushes back. Crossed extension reflex: with one leg extended and its sole irritated by a sharp object (a thumbnail), the baby raises and extends the other leg as if pushing the irritation away. Trunk incurvation reflex: in prone, touch the paravertebral area and the baby flexes the trunk and swings the pelvis toward the touch.
11. Landau Reflex
Hold the baby prone supporting the trunk. The baby should show some muscle tone. Sagging into an inverted "U" signals very poor tone and needs further assessment.
Master these maneuvers. Neuromuscular dysfunction can signal serious problems like spinal cord injury, neonatal sepsis, and inborn errors of metabolism, and these simple checks catch them early enough to act.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are newborn reflexes?
They are involuntary movements an infant makes in response to a specific stimulus. They are present at birth and fade as the nervous system matures, which makes them a quick window into neurological and physical development (MedlinePlus, Infant reflexes).
Why do nurses check newborn reflexes?
Reflexes are a fast, low-tech screen of neurological function. A missing, weak, or asymmetric reflex can be an early sign of a serious problem such as spinal cord injury, neonatal sepsis, or an inborn error of metabolism, so it is worth chasing.
When does the Moro (startle) reflex disappear?
The Moro reflex is present at birth, peaks in the first month, and normally disappears by about 3 to 4 months of age. Persistence beyond that or an asymmetric response warrants further assessment (StatPearls, Primitive Reflexes).
When does the rooting reflex go away?
Rooting helps the baby locate the breast or bottle and usually fades by about 4 months as feeding comes under voluntary control (MedlinePlus, Infant reflexes).
Is a positive Babinski reflex normal in a baby?
Yes. A fanning of the toes when the sole is stroked is normal in infants and young children. It begins to disappear around 12 months and should be absent by about age 2; after that it suggests a central nervous system problem.
What does an absent or asymmetric reflex mean?
It is a red flag. One-sided weakness or a reflex that should be present but is missing can reflect nerve, brain, or spinal cord injury and should prompt a fuller neurological workup rather than reassurance.