The author's name of the plantar reflex in a newborn. Reflexes and their role in the human body. How are they manifested and what are the characteristics

A newborn baby, just born, seems completely helpless. However, it is not. He has many skills inherent in nature, which are called reflexes.

Unfortunately, few parents are interested in how well such automatisms manifest themselves in their baby. Whereas knowledge about the essence of each reflex reaction and how to check it will help to monitor the correct development of the child, the state of his nervous system.

What are reflexes

Reflexes are an automatic reaction of the body to any stimuli. In the newborn period, which lasts a little less than a month(28 days), the baby has only unconditioned reflexes. With their help, the baby adapts to the world around him.

The presence of well-defined automatisms indicates a correctly formed nervous system of the child. Therefore, in the first days of a baby's birth, a pediatrician and a neurologist will definitely diagnose the degree of manifestation of all the necessary reflex reactions in him.

Many congenital reflexes can be evoked in a baby on purpose, doing it in the form of gymnastics. The main thing is to make sure that the child is healthy and such exercises do not give him any discomfort.

The reflexes of newborns are divided into two groups, depending on which part of the nervous system is responsible for their functioning:

Motor segmental reflexes are provided by areas of the spinal cord and brain stem. They are divided into oral and spinal automatisms;
Posotonic suprasegmental reflexes are regulated by the centers of the midbrain and medulla oblongata. These include automatisms responsible for controlling muscle tone depending on the position of the head and torso.

Majority unconditioned reflexes disappears over time. They are called vestigial. The decay time for each reflex is different. Part of the automatisms is necessary only at the adaptation stage, individual reflex reactions serve as the basis for new conscious skills and disappear as they are formed. There are also such reflexes that remain with the child for life.

Types of reflexes

In total, 16 most significant reflex reactions of newborns are distinguished.

oral reflexes

Let's look at oral reflexes first. Their presence is very important for the child, because they provide the sucking process.

The sucking reflex is the ability of a newborn to make sucking movements. It manifests itself with any irritation oral cavity. As soon as the baby feels that there is an object in his mouth, he tightly clasps it with his lips and tongue and begins to actively suck. Read more about breastfeeding >>>

The sucking reflex fades very late. Supporters of self-weaning notice that the child forgets exactly how to suckle at the breast in the region of 3-5 years.

Swallowing reflex - provides the ability to swallow food that is in the baby's mouth. This automatism persists throughout life;
Proboscis reflex - consists in the ability of the baby to fold the lips with a "tube". This reaction occurs after a quick touch or light tapping of a finger on the child's upper lip. At the same time, the round muscle of the mouth involuntarily contracts and the lips are pulled forward;

This reflex is necessary for making sucking movements. It disappears 2-3 months after the baby is born.

Searching or search reflex - has such a name, because it is associated with the search for an infant maternal breast. With a light touch on the corner of the mouth, the child turns his head towards the source of irritation, and his lower lip drops.

When checking the searching reflex, you need to make very precise touches. In addition to the corners of the mouth, you can press on the middle of the upper or lower lip. In this case, the child should tilt or tilt his head down accordingly. If it is wrong to do such manipulations, as a result, you can get a demonstration of the proboscis reflex.

Babkin's reflex - is the following process: when pressing on the palms of a newborn (in the region of the tubercle from thumb) he opens his mouth and bends his head in search of breasts. By 2-3 months, this reflex reaction should disappear.

spinal reflexes

Spinal automatisms are no less important for the newborn. These include all other types of involuntary movements of the child, which he makes with the body and limbs.

The grasping or monkey reflex is an unconscious squeezing and holding an object in the palms. Usually, to test this automatism, adults put their index fingers in the baby's palms. At the same time, he grabs them tightly and does not let go.

The child must hold so strongly that he can thus be lifted above the surface on which he lies. By 3 - 4 months in an infant, this reflex is replaced by conscious actions, when he reaches out and picks up an object in his hands on his own.

Protective reflex - consists in the ability of a newborn, when laying him on his stomach, immediately turn his head to the side. This automatism allows the baby to breathe in any position of his body. Over time, the child will learn to raise and hold the head, and this reflex reaction will disappear. See also: When the child begins to hold his head >>>
Plantar reflex - triggered by pressing a finger on the sole in the area of the second and third fingers. In this case, the newborn should tighten the toes. Thus, the tonic reaction of the flexors of the toes is checked.
Babinski reflex - also tested on the baby's foot. To do this, you need to make a stroking movement along the outer edge of the foot in the direction from the heel to the toes. Reflexively, the fingers straighten and spread apart (fan-shaped).
Support and straightening reflex - is the ability of the baby to rest on the surface with a full foot. To check this automatism, the child must be kept on weight, fixing his head, and then lowered down. In the raised position, the baby's legs are drawn up to the stomach, but when the surface is touched, he leans on it and straightens the torso. Such automatism persists for quite a long time, up to 8 - 11 months.
Automatic walking reflex - checked simultaneously with the previous one. After the child has stood on the foot and straightened up, he is slightly tilted forward. The kid should make several step-by-step movements on the surface. Sometimes in the process of such walking, his legs may cross. After a month and a half, the baby should learn to rearrange his legs correctly. Find out when the child begins to walk consciously>>>.
Crawling reflex - manifested when a newborn is placed on his stomach. He begins to make chaotic body movements, trying to move. At this time, you need to substitute your palm to the soles of the baby. In response to such irritation, his movements should become more active. At 4 months, the child ceases to show such a reaction. Now he will try to push off the support and move forward. Read more about when a baby starts crawling >>>
Moro reflex - it can be described as a "reaction to fright." To check, you need to put the newborn on the changing table and with both hands at the same time hit the table hard on both sides near his head. First, the baby should sharply spread his arms to the sides, unclench his fingers, straighten his legs, but then quickly return to his original position.

Galant reflex - allows you to check the reaction of the spine to a stimulus. You should lay the baby on its side and run your fingers from both sides along the paravertebral lines from top to bottom. At the same time, he will arch his back in an arcuate manner.

Postural reflexes

Postural reflex reactions are associated with the formation of the child's ability to raise his head, sit or stand, which implies the ability to correctly redistribute the load on the muscles depending on the position of the body.

The Magnus-Klein reflex is also called asymmetric cervical tonic automatism. First, the newborn should be placed on his back and his head turned to the side. The arm and leg on the side where the child will be turned will straighten, and on the opposite side they will bend. This position is called the "swordsman's pose".

Such a reflex reaction fades away when the baby reaches two months of age.

Symmetric tonic neck reflex - consists in the operation of the flexors and extensors of the limbs when the head is thrown back and tilted. When tilting, the child straightens his arms and bends his legs, and vice versa.

These reflexes are observed in infants all the time.

Violations of reflex reactions

Checking reflexes is mandatory procedure for diagnosing the correct development of the child. In case of detection of any deviations in the manifestation of reflexes in a newborn, it is necessary to undergo an urgent consultation with a specialist. Timely correction allows the baby's body to quickly recover and develop further without pathologies.

So, what should you pay attention to?

First of all, it is important to remember that absolutely all of the listed reflex reactions should appear in a newborn. In premature infants, as well as infants who had asphyxia or birth trauma at birth, unconditioned reflexes are less pronounced.

Be sure to follow the periods of extinction of rudimentary automatisms. If, after the expiration of the indicated periods, the reflex reaction remains pronounced, this indicates a violation of the activity of the central nervous system.

It is also a bad indicator abrupt change(strengthening or weakening) of reflexes in a newborn. This may result in:

violations of muscle tone, more about this: hypertonicity in a newborn >>>;
pathology of the nervous system;
inflammatory diseases;
drug reactions.

When checking the manifestations of reflexes, the following points should be considered:

A slight increase in the infant's reflex reactions can be observed with increased nervous excitability;
Oral reflexes are most pronounced in the period before feeding. When a child is full, he may not show them so clearly;
The reflex reaction to the stimulus should be the same on both sides.

Of course, it is important to pay attention to general state baby. If, with changes in the manifestation of the reflex reaction, there are no other neurological pathologies, then this may be individual feature the body of the newborn and will not negative influence for its further development.

The main thing is that the doctor, after the examination, concludes "the physiological reflex reactions of the baby are normal." Such a diagnosis means that your child feels well and everything is fine with his health.

Wise nature initially laid down the main reflexes of newborns, allowing them to adapt to a new worldview without stress. Coming in Big world children are not able to control their body. The brain of the crumbs is not fully formed and has not yet learned to function in such a way as to support all the life systems of a small person.

The control of a tiny organism is carried out with the help of unconditioned reflexes of a newborn, brought to automatism. The primitive centers of the spinal cord and brain that have formed during pregnancy can control them, provided proper development nervous system.

Congenital reflexes are a kind of baby's defenses that help him survive in any external conditions. Some reflexes fade within 4 weeks, while others last up to 3-4 months

Determination of the basic reflexes of the newborn

Kit congenital reflexes newborns can be presented in the form of a table with explanatory additions. We have compiled a table, indicating in it all the reflexes that indicate the full health of the baby. All data are taken from medical sources and correspond to the exact presentation. After examining the table data, you will recognize their name and understand what they show:

Allows you to determine the correct functioning of the nervous system, to establish muscle tone. Important as protection against threats - for example, falls.
sucking	Shows the level of maturity of the child, has a calming effect. Prepares to receive new food.
Prehensile	Reveals the degree of development of the nervous system. Allows you to understand how excitable the child is.
Robinson	Shows tenacity and muscle tone. Leads to development fine motor skills. Left from primitive people and is not related to human development.
proboscis	It makes it possible to check the facial and sucking muscles. Reacting to the stimulus, the child stretches his lips with a “proboscis”.
Babkin palmar-oral reflex	The oldest reflex aimed at searching necessary nutrition different ways. Determines the correct development of the entire nervous system.
Spinal automatism of Galant	It reveals birth injuries, shows the degree of functioning of the spinal cord and the state of the central nervous system.
Stepping or automatic walking reflex (Babinski)	Refutes or confirms the presence of cerebral palsy.
Bauer	Serves to check muscle tone and condition of the spinal cord. It is called the crawling reflex.
Kussmaul search reflex	Helps the newborn to find the breast, prepares for a new diet.

How to check reflexes yourself?

This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve exactly your problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

After leaving the mother's womb, the child gets to know the world, and you get to know him. For him, these are extreme conditions, but the baby is armed and fights for life, using the reflexes of newborns. Knowing their characteristics and physiological responses, you can independently check for their presence in your child. Simple manipulations with the baby will help you understand how healthy your baby is, whether his protective functions work and whether he has developmental problems.

Reflexes to test the nervous system

Moro reflex. Lay the newborn on his back, drop the toy near his head so that you get a loud sound. Raise the baby by the legs. In both cases, the baby should spread the arms to the side, opening the fists. Having calmed down, he returns his hands to their original position, bending at the elbows and pressing them to the body (assumes the fetal position familiar to him) (see also:). The reaction that appears should not be weak, but clear, with the symmetry of outstretched arms. Disappears by 4-5 months.
Sucking. The process of sucking only outwardly seems easy, and to make it work, the coordinated work of five pairs of nerves of the skull is necessary. The test shows the degree of maturity of the newborn. Bring the breast to the baby's mouth or touch the pacifier to the cheek. The baby will turn his head to the object, feeling the nipple or pacifier, will make rhythmic swallowing movements with his lips, mouth, tongue. Please note that with symptoms cerebral palsy child not only turns his head, but sharply throws it up. It is very important that sucking automatism be satisfied. Sucking calms the baby emotionally. If the baby does not satisfy the sucking need through the chest, he begins to pull any objects into his mouth. Weakening of reactions occurs after 1 year, by 1.5 years they disappear.
Proboscis. Helps identify pathological changes brain. After laying the newborn on his back, lightly touch with a finger or nipple upper lip babies. The child reacts by stretching his lips into a “tube”. The presence of a reflex is an indicator of the correct contraction of the circular muscle of the mouth. Fades away by 2-3 months. If there is no reaction, see a doctor.
Palmar-oral automatism of Babkin. Symmetry in movements is checked. Gently press your hand on the center of the baby's palm. The child opens his mouth and tries to raise his head in your direction. If at the time of testing the child is hungry, the reaction will be pronounced. The absence of a reflex or its non-manifestation for three months indicates disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system.

The Moro reflex is very important for determining the health of the child - if the reflex is incomplete, this may be due to congenital cardiovascular diseases.

Reflexes to test muscle tone

Spinal Galant reflex. Lay the baby on the tummy, gently run your finger along the left side of the spine, not bringing the finger to the vertebrae by 1 cm. The baby will react by arching the back in the opposite direction and bending the left leg. Swiping across right side, the child arches to the left and bends the right leg. Passes to half a year.
The grasping and automatism of Robinson. Two similar tests aimed at checking the nervous system and muscle tone. When testing grasping automatism, put your index finger in the palm of the crumbs. The child should firmly grasp it, holding it in a fist. To test Robinson's automatism, simply touch the baby's palm, causing a hook reaction. A hungry baby grabs a finger so that it is difficult to unclench his fist. The automatism of grasping goes away by 4 months. Growing up, the child will move from grasping to conscious action with objects, their correct holding and grasping.
Babinski's automatic walking reflex or stepping. Take the baby under the armpits, lift it vertically so that it reaches the floor or other surface with your toes. Tilt it forward a little and see if the baby is trying to step over with his legs, imitating walking up the stairs. Some babies can cross their legs at the shins - this is also normal reaction, it lasts until the age of 1.5 months.
Peres reflex. For a competent check, you need to run your finger along the vertebrae, starting from the coccyx and bringing your finger to the neck. A sharp cry, bending of the arms and legs, lifting the pelvis is a normal reaction. We check muscle tone. Leaves by 3-4 months.
Bauer reflex. Automatic action showing the ability of the newborn to crawl. Laying the baby on his stomach, press your palm to his foot. The child, feeling the support, will try to push off from it, making crawling movements with the legs. The first manifestation of crawling automatism falls on the 4-5th day after birth, the reaction disappears by 4 months. You can read about how to develop crawling in our other materials.

Robinson's innate automatism is loved by photographers when creating family photo shoots with children. Toddlers grab an adult's finger so hard that it can be difficult to unclench the fist.

Kussmaul's search automatism

The reflex is checked in the mouth area and is similar in reaction to sucking and palmar-mouth automatism. Required close attention during its implementation. Carefully, almost without touching, touch the corners of the baby's lips. The baby should start looking for an irritant that hints at an object of nutrition - he is looking for the mother's breast. Underlip the baby descends and stretches along with the tongue towards your finger. Make sure that your finger does not touch the lips, as this manipulation is testing a completely different reflex. Remains up to 3-5 months, then disappears. Important: if the reflex does not go away by 3-4 months, there are reasons for diagnosing a brain anomaly.

Correctly checking the basic reflexes of newborns on your own will help you with a video in which everything is shown clearly, on specific child. Carry out your manipulations carefully and carefully. Remember about positive attitude and try not to scare your treasure.

If the baby does not like your touch, he may turn away from you, be capricious, upset and cry. Start testing when the baby has good mood. Combine checks with play and communication, conduct them unobtrusively, observing the reaction of the child.

The pediatrician checks the newborn in the same way. Detecting the absence or slowing of the reaction, the doctor may prescribe an examination by a neurologist. The unconditional automatism of a newborn is an indicator programmed by nature correct operation all body systems, the main of which is the nervous system. If there is no reaction to at least one item in the set of unconditioned reflexes, contact a specialist immediately. Checking innate reflexes is very important for early diagnosis diseases and should be carried out in a timely manner.

How is the neonatal period determined, what is its duration? It is scientifically substantiated that this period lasts 28 days, at this time the primary adaptation of the child to environment. The reflexes of the newborn help the adaptation, these are the inherent mechanisms that allow the baby to perform their first (yet unconscious) actions.

Types of reflexes - classification

There are 2 types of reflexes - conditional and unconditional, in infancy only unconditional ones work, laid down from birth. Conditional ones appear later, on the basis of experience.

In total, 15 unconditioned reflexes of newborns are distinguished, each of them has its own purpose. Some appear and disappear immediately, others fade slowly, and still others remain forever.

There are several groups of basic reflexes of newborns:

Aimed at ensuring general life activity (breathing, swallowing, sucking, spinal motor automatisms).
Providing security for child's body when exposed to external stimuli.
"Temporary", which work to maintain a single process. For example, there is a reflex breath holding, so that the child can move through the birth canal.

Table of basic reflexes of newborns by months

oral reflexes

From the very first minutes of life, a small organism needs food. No one teaches to suck milk from the breast and swallow the baby, everything is based on reflex activity.

Sucking reflex The baby has it since birth. Thanks to him, the baby is able to grasp the nipple of the breast or the pacifier with his lips and makes rhythmic sucking movements. The reflex is strongly pronounced up to a year, it is natural for the appearance of the main teeth, with the help of which sucking is replaced by chewing.

Up to 3 years, it remains mild. The intensity of sucking signals the degree of hunger of the baby, if the child is full, then the sucking becomes weaker, it is expressed stronger towards the meal. The constant weakness of the sucking reflex is due to many reasons, the establishment of which occurs with the help of a doctor.

Swallowing reflex promotes swallowing of the received food. It is caused by the work of the medulla oblongata and persists for life.

proboscis reflex less long time- by two or three months it disappears. Touching a finger or an object to the baby's lips causes the mouth to curl into a tube, resembling a small trunk.

Babkin's reflex, it is also called palmar-oral. If you lightly press both palms of the child, then the baby slightly opens his mouth. By three months, the reaction fades away, after which it disappears completely.

Search reflex (Kussmaul) . An attempt to touch the cheek at the corner of the mouth (very lightly) leads to a search for a stimulus, that is, a search for food. After three months the reflex passes, the baby determines the source of food visually. When checking it, you should not touch the lips of the crumbs directly, otherwise you will get a proboscis reflex.

Spinal automatisms

spinal reflexes newborns characterize the infant's muscular apparatus and its condition.

defensive reflex is found in turning the head when laying the crumbs on the stomach. In this way, the child opens air access to Airways. With damage to the central nervous system, this reflex is usually absent.

Grasping (monkey) reflex - the ability to firmly grasp and hold the fingers of an adult placed in the palms of an infant. Raising the fingers is another similar Robinson reflex. Weakening occurs by four months.

- this is when, when stroking the soles, the fingers open in a fan-shaped way, and the feet bend from the back.

Reflexes of the newborn - plantar reflex (Babinsky)

This reflex is preserved up to two years, the symmetry of the reaction and energy is an indicator for evaluating the child.

Moro reflex (hugs) - a reaction consisting of two phases that occurs in response to noise or knocking.

At first, the baby spreads his arms in different sides and unclenches his fingers, while straightening his legs. Then the arms and legs return to their original position, resembling a hug. This reflex is observed up to five months. An incomplete Moro reflex or its asymmetry is manifested in lesions of the nervous system.

Kernig's reflex observed when it is not possible to unclench hip joint after bending. Upon reaching four months disappears completely.

Automatic walking reflex tested with armpit support and a slight forward lean. The baby takes steps without accompanying them with hand movements. Normally, the baby should lean on the entire foot and walk without clinging.

If the legs are slightly crossed, then this is considered acceptable in the first 1.5 months. The ability to walk independently is a learned skill complex work cerebral cortex, develops by 1 year. If " automatic gait» remains for a long time, then this may be a manifestation of CNS damage.

Support reflex visible when the baby, holding, put on hard surface. First he pushes his feet away, then he flattens out, pressing his tiny soles firmly against the ground. During the entire month and a half, the support and walking reflexes are well expressed.

Crawling reflex (Bauer) - it is called spontaneous crawling, this happens when the baby is placed on the stomach or back. The movements are intensified if you put your palm on the soles of the child, the baby can even move forward. There is a reflex for 3-4 days, and extinction for third fourth month. warning sign it is considered a violation of symmetry or the preservation of creeping movements up to six months - a year.

Reflex Galant called the response of the spinal area to an external stimulus. If you move your finger along the back, then the child will arch the back and straighten the leg from the side of impact.

Postural reflexes (automatisms)

The group of these reflexes is based on the redistribution of muscle tone as the child's motor development progresses. While the baby is not yet able to hold his head, cannot sit, walk and stand, his muscles must be regulated. The medulla oblongata and, subsequently, the midbrain are responsible for regulation.

Magnus-Klein reflex (asymmetric tonic neck) - the baby takes the "swordsman's pose" if his head is turned on its side while the little one is on his back. That is, the limbs where the face turns are unbent, and the opposite ones are bent.

Name	How to stimulate	Response to stimulus	Appearance (age)	Disappearance (age)	Reasons for deviations
Search	cheek stroking	Turning the head to the stimulus, opening the mouth	From birth	3-4 months (in sleep up to 12 months)	Lethargy, depression of the nervous system. cerebral palsy
sucking	Touching lips or mouth	Sucking movements	From birth	4 months (in sleep up to 7 months)	The satiated one reacts badly. Prematurity, CNS depression
Cervical tonic ("swordsman")	While the baby is on his back, turn his head to the side	Straightening the arms and legs from the side of the turned head; on the opposite side, the arm and leg are bent	Birth - 2 months	4-6 month	Inability to get out of this state or persistence from 6 months - violations of motor neurons
Prehensile	Put your finger in the child's hand	Firm grasping of the fingers with both hands	From birth	3-6 month	CNS lesions
Walking reflex	Underarm support, slight forward lean. Feet must touch the surface	Similarity of steps, alternating movements of the legs	From birth	2-4 month	Absence: cerebral palsy, paralysis of the legs, depression of the child
Reflex Moro (hugs)	Sudden sound or pop when the baby is lying on its back	Symmetrical opening of the arms and straightening of the legs, after a few seconds wrapping your arms around yourself	From birth	Up to 4 months	Paralysis or fracture of the clavicle leads to asymmetry, absence or long action - disorders of the brain structures
plantar reflex	Pressing on the toes	Symmetrical finger curl	From birth	4-8 month	cerebral palsy, brain damage
Babinski's reflex	Run along the sole to the fingers from the heel	Finger unclenching fan-shaped	From birth	About a year	cerebral palsy, CNS lesions

Checking the severity of reflexes is carried out with the help of a neurologist and a pediatrician, they are able to determine how well the functions of the infant's nervous system work.

What affects the untimely appearance of reflexes in newborns?

The reasons are completely different, ranging from trauma during childbirth, ending with an individual reaction to medical preparations. Spinal or oral reflexes of the newborn are mild in case of prematurity or mild asphyxia.

It is not always necessary to sound the alarm if sucking and searching behavior is weakly expressed, perhaps the baby is just full, then he does not show strong reflex activity. But before feeding, on the contrary, sucking and searching are intensified.

If the reflexes of the newborn are not observed at all, then this is an occasion for immediate qualified medical care. The most important life support functions can suffer if the baby is not properly maintained in time. There may be several reasons: severe vices prenatal development, severe asphyxia, injuries received during childbirth.

Of course, parents should have information about innate reflexes, but only an experienced neonatologist or pediatrician can professionally assess the state of health of a child. Deviations from the norm are significant and not very, with minor violations, the doctor will prescribe treatment or special procedures. If the deviations are strong, then the doctor will help to understand the reasons, and will be able to take emergency measures so that the baby is not in danger.

Any strange manifestation child's behavior requires heightened attention because its successful adaptation to the world depends on it. The reflexes of a newborn are the care of nature itself so that the baby can feel as comfortable as possible.

At the birth of a child, every mother asks herself the question: is my baby healthy and is it developing correctly?

Nature endows every person unconditioned reflexes, manifested as a reaction to various stimuli from the outside. Some of them remain for life (swallowing, blinking, contraction of the tendon when struck with a hammer), while other reflexes appear only in the first months of life.

Newborn reflexes characterize the usefulness of the central nervous system. In the future, the little man, thanks to life experience, acquires conditioned reflexes.

Reflexes of a newborn, we determine ourselves

Each mother observed how the pediatrician performs certain manipulations with the baby, and then draws a conclusion about the state of health of the baby in terms of psychomotor development.

This is not difficult to do at home, you just need to know what reflexes a newborn should have and how to check them. Do not be afraid of obscure names. Mothers, without even knowing it, daily face the unconditional reaction of their baby to certain manipulations.

Reflex reactions of newborns are divided into oral (providing sucking) and spinal (motor).

oral reflexes :

Sucking reflex

All women who have given birth know that immediately after the birth of the baby, the doctor applies it to the mother's breast. Thus, the main and most important of the unconditioned reflexes of newborns is checked - reflex sucking. Further, if any object (nipple or finger) gets into the baby's mouth, he begins to intensively reproduce the same movements with his mouth and tongue, as when sucking on the mother's breast. The sucking reflex lasts up to 1 year, some children show a longer period.

proboscis reflex

The picture is touching when the mother touches the corner of the child's mouth with her finger (without touching the lips), and he in response folds his lips with a tube (proboscis). This happens due to involuntary contraction the muscles of the baby's mouth to an external stimulus. You can observe the reflex up to 3 months.

Kussmaul reflex (exploratory)

In continuation of the above-mentioned reflexes of newborns, the baby, when a finger is touched to the corner of his mouth, begins to intensively search for the mother's breast. The baby opens its mouth and reaches for the mother's finger. This reflex is observed only up to 3-5 months.

Babkin's reflex

It is even more interesting to observe when, with light pressure on the palm of the baby, he begins to reach out to the person who performed the manipulation, while opening his mouth. The baby shows a similar reaction in the first 2-3 months of life.

spinal reflexes :

defensive reflex

It appears already in the first hours of life and is characterized by turning the baby's head to one side when laying it on the tummy. So nature has protected little man from a lack of oxygen in an uncomfortable position for him.

Monkey reflex (grasping)

Be sure that if the baby grabbed something with his little hand, it will be quite difficult to unhook it. This reflex makes humans related to mammals, whose cubs cling very tightly to their mother.

Robinson reflex

Continuing the theme of "grasping grip", one more reflex can be tested: an infant caught on the mother's fingers can be lifted into the air without fear that it will unhook.

Bauer reflex (crawling)

The little man comes into life already knowing how to crawl. Checking this is quite simple: lying on the tummy or on the back, the child makes spontaneous crawling movements. And when applying a hand to the feet, the baby will try to push off with his legs from the support that has appeared. The reflex appears on the 3-4th day of life and fades only by 4 months.

Support reflex

Being in vertical position and touching the legs of a hard surface, the baby should straighten the legs, and with a slight inclination, he will try to step over. It turns out that all people from the moment of birth subconsciously know how to walk.

Reflex Galant

The reaction of a newborn to holding a finger 1-1.5 cm from the spine is very similar to the fact that the baby is ticklish. His back begins to bend in the direction along which the finger was drawn.

Moro reflex (hugs)

When clapping on the bed next to the baby's head, the baby first spreads its arms to the sides, unclenching its fists, and then hugs its body. This is observed up to 4-5 months.

Babinski's reflex

With a slight pressure on the foot of the baby near the II-III fingers, the child will bend the fingers. And if you run your finger along the outer edge of the foot in the direction from the heel to the toes, then the baby should spread all his fingers on the leg like a fan.

Perez reflex

Checking this reflex is the most unpleasant of all physiological reflexes newborn, so pediatricians prefer to check it at the very end. The pediatrician, gently pressing, runs his finger from the bottom up along the spinous processes of the spine. At the same time, the baby arches, raises his head, bends his legs and arms, cries and may even describe himself.

Important: of all the reflexes of a newborn, the search reflex may weaken at 1 month. This is normal, the reflex disappears completely by 1 year.

Unconditioned reflexes: increased or no response

All reflex reactions of babies should be symmetrical. Strengthening of reflexes may be the result of excessive excitability of the nervous tissue. With weak reflexes with a slight change in the strength of the reaction, gymnastics and daily bathing are quite enough.

Particular attention should be paid to the absence of some reflexes. The reasons for this may be:

serious violations of the tone of certain muscle groups;
pathological conditions nervous system;
infectious diseases.

Important: reflex weakness is often observed in premature babies. However, when good nutrition And proper care, reflex reactions are restored.

In the absence of a sucking reflex, the life of an infant is in serious danger. In this case, it is necessary to urgently contact a pediatric neurologist, who will prescribe a full examination and the necessary treatment for the baby.

So, regularly checking your baby's innate reflexes can not only become a favorite entertainment for the whole family, but also serve as gymnastics for the child, and at the same time confirm that your baby is developing normally.

As soon as a calf and a deer are born, they immediately jump to their feet, and the newborn monkey clings to the mother's fur with its fingers and hangs on it like on a liana. Their actions are guided by the genetic memory of a biological species, into which innate newborn reflexes. The human cub also has them, and they are very different.

All mothers know that in the first months of life, the baby knows how to swim and dive - it holds its breath and closes its eyes when water gets on its face. He does this solely thanks to innate reflexes, which fade away if they are not supported. You will work with the crumbs in the bath to develop this skill, and it will be fixed for life. But there are also such innate reactions that fade to a certain period- it is impossible to save them, and it is not necessary. The child who came out of infancy, there is no need for a sucking reflex - so it disappears in the second year. According to the strength and severity of congenital reflexes of newborns, as well as whether they cease to exist in time, giving way to more complex motor reactions, a pediatrician and a neurologist can say a lot about the state of the nervous system and the prospects for the development of the baby. And they took them into service, developing gymnastics for the smallest. By evoking certain reflexes in the right sequence, experts make the baby work with muscles - you can’t explain to him what to do, but thanks to innate motor reactions, everything happens by itself.

Exercises for newborns

Put your thumbs in the palms of the baby lying on the back. Holding on to them, he tenses a little, raises his head, bends his arms, tears off his shoulders from the swaddle, as if trying to sit down (only you don’t need to put him on for real yet). A healthy full-term baby can do this exercise from 2-4 weeks.

Sucking reflex

The so-called reflexes of oral (oral) automatism, which are carried out on the lowest floor of the subcortex - at the level of the brain stem, are responsible for ensuring that the child is always full.
It is worth giving a mother a breast to a baby, and he automatically makes sucking movements. The baby generally sucks everything that gets into the mouth, whether it's a pacifier, a finger, a toy, the edge of a diaper. What to pay attention to. Rhythmic sucking soothes the baby. For him, this is both hard work (when you have to get milk from his mother's breasts) and pleasure (when he sucks on a pacifier). It is very important that the baby satisfy his need to suck (and this is easiest to do when breastfeeding). If he was not sucked to his heart's content in infancy, they can form - from sucking a finger and hair to biting nails.

When it fades
Weakens after 12 months, and finally disappears by 1.5 years. True, the baby will make sucking movements in a dream even at an older age, especially if he sleeps sweetly and deeply.

Search reflex

To call it, it is enough to touch the dummy to the cheek on the side of the baby's mouth (without touching the lips). The corner of his mouth will immediately drop, the baby will turn his head towards the irritant. And if you press the nipple a little on the middle of the lower lip, the child will open his mouth, fold it with his proboscis and slightly bend his neck - he will try to grab the pacifier. These reactions are especially pronounced before feeding, when the baby is hungry. Have you noticed: before taking the nipple more firmly, does the baby shake its head a little? Over time, this gesture will acquire a semantic coloring - it will accompany the reproachful "ay-ay-ay!" or a resounding "no!" The basis for such a conversation in body language will be precisely the search neonatal reflex. With its help, the baby gradually masters facial expressions, and in particular learns to smile. What to pay attention to. The grimaces of the crumbs, when the doctor or mommy cause a search reflex, should be the same (symmetrical) on both sides. If this is not the case, the baby needs to be shown to a pediatric neurologist: if one half of the face reacts differently than the other, birth trauma and inflammation of the facial nerve must be excluded. When it fades After 3-4 months, the need for a search reflex disappears: the baby already reacts not to the touch of the nipple to the lips, but to its appearance - he notices that mom picks up a pacifier or is preparing to feed, and opens her mouth.

Wean your baby two or three times during feeding (just be careful not to upset or anger him). You see - he is again looking for a nipple, reaching for it! This is very useful for the development of facial muscles and the formation of the speech apparatus.

proboscis reflex

fast and light touch mother's finger or pacifier to children's lips makes the baby fold them with a proboscis. This reaction is a constant element of sucking movements. It is even sung about her in a song: “Sponges with a bow, eyebrows with a house ...” What to look for. Pediatric neurologists have such a concept - “mouth attention”. This is when the baby of the first months of life carefully peers into the face of the mother bending over him and seems to be trying to copy her facial expressions. And first of all, the mouth comes into motion. This is where the proboscis comes to the rescue neonatal reflex helping the baby fold the lips with a touching bow.

When it fades
After 2-3 months. If the reflex persists longer, show the baby to a pediatric neurologist!

Palmar mouth reflex

Lay the child on the back, take his hand in yours and lightly press your thumb into the center of the palm, first from one side and then from the other side. The baby opens its mouth and bows its head. What to pay attention to. Did the child suffer from oxygen starvation while in mommy's tummy, or during childbirth? Got a birth injury? Were you born weak? If in the first days the palmar-oral reflex in newborns- This good sign: the nervous system is perfectly restored after the tests! What to pay attention to. The reflex is not called from any one side? The reason is the weakness of the muscles of the arm (paresis). Be sure to tell your pediatrician and pediatric neurologist about this!

When it fades
Ideally, by 3 months. The palmar-mouth reflex should give way to voluntary hand-mouth reactions, which are very important for the baby, and are formed on its basis. First, the baby pulls a toy into his mouth, opening it wide (it is important for the baby to recognize the object not only by touch, but also by taste), and then he brings cookies and a spoonful of porridge to it. If this reflex intensifies over time and occurs even at the slightest touch to the children's hands, it means that not everything is in order with the nervous system of the crumbs. Observation and treatment by a neurologist will help prevent the formation of cerebral palsy.

What can a newborn do?

Crawling, standing and even walking - all this is obtained by the newborn by itself, without the slightest effort. The set of movements performed in the first months of life is the same, and even more than that, it is strictly mandatory for all babies and is programmed at the level of the spinal cord. Over time, these reactions disappear so that the child can develop the appropriate skills on his own - once and for all his life.

defensive reflex

Put the baby on the tummy - he turns his head to the side. Without this automatic reaction, the child would simply suffocate, burying his face in the pillow!

What to pay attention to. If the nervous system of the baby is not mature enough or suffered during childbirth, defensive reflex may be missing. Then mommy will have to turn the baby's head herself, laying it on her tummy, and constantly monitor this in the first months. The other extreme, associated with an overreaction, is also alarming: the child not only turns his face away, but also throws back his head, holding it in this position for quite a long time. This indicates an increase in the tone of the muscles of the neck and back. For what reason he is so strengthened - you have to figure it out pediatric neurologist! When it fades
Completely - by 3 months, and weakens when the baby is one month old.

Crawl reflex

They put the newborn on the tummy, and he tries to crawl in a plastunsky way. Mom put her hand to the children's feet - the baby began to push off from them with his legs, crawled even more actively. What a little partisan! What to pay attention to. If the movements on one side are not as active as on the other, most likely the child has problems with tone. For babies who have had oxygen starvation(asphyxia) or birth trauma, the reflex may be absent. Such a baby needs special neurological treatment, and when a month old - massage and gymnastics. True, in the first 3-4 days of life they refuse to crawl even healthy babies. It's quite normal. But if the corresponding movements did not appear later, it is necessary to show the child to a specialist.

When it fades
At 4 months.

Fitball for a newborn

Put the child on the back and firmly press your palms or an inflatable ball to his feet - the baby will push off the obstacle, strengthening the muscles of his legs.

Support and automatic gait reflex

Take the baby under the armpits (face to you), creating support for his head with your fingers (on both sides). Hold vertically on weight - he will tighten his legs. Now put it down on the changing table. The baby will stand, fully loading the foot. Check - the fingers are not tight, the legs are slightly bent. Slightly tilt his torso forward, and the baby will take a few steps. Ideally, the legs should not cross, but if this still happens in the lower third of the legs, do not worry - this option is also acceptable for a newborn. What to pay attention to. If reflex in a newborn absent, one of two things - either the baby has weak muscles, or the nervous system has suffered. Does the baby walk on straight legs, crossing them high? Relies not on the entire foot, but only on its edge, tightens the fingers? Tell the neurologist about it!

When it fades
At 1-1.5 months. After that, the legs of the crumbs give way by themselves when mommy tries to put him on the swaddle. Only closer to the year the child will again learn to stand, and then walk.

grasp reflex

You put your fingers in the hands of the baby, and he grabs them so tightly that he can even hang in your arms if you slightly lift him up. Monkeys clinging to their mother's hair do the same. Here is a visible confirmation of Darwin's evolutionary theory! Moreover - grasping reflex can be called on the soles. You just need to slightly press your thumb on the ball of the foot - and the fingers will immediately bend. And if you quickly and abruptly draw the blunt end of the pencil along the sole of the crumbs, they will disperse like a fan (Babinsky's reflex).

What to pay attention to?
If the grasping is very active, then the baby is too excitable. Is the capture weak and not always called? Nervous system retarded, oppressed. In both cases, it is imperative to consult the child with a neurologist.

When it fades
Babinsky's reflex - a year, grasping - in 3-4 months. After all, he should be replaced by arbitrary grasping: the baby saw the toy, reached out and took it.

Fingers fanned out

Gently lay the baby on the back, take his legs from below by the heels, holding them between the index and middle fingers, as if in a slingshot. thumbs stroke the edges of the feet to the baby - in response, he will turn them outward and spread his fingers like a fan. Press gently on the pads of the feet at the base of the toes - the baby will immediately squeeze them. This exercise can serve as an excellent prevention of flat feet!

Moro reflex

If you dropped the bottle on the changing table next to the baby or lifted it too sharply by the legs when changing the diaper, the baby gets scared - spreads the handles to the sides and opens
palms, and then folds her fists again and presses them to her chest.

What to pay attention to?
Mom should be interested in whether the child spreads her arms evenly. If one lags behind the other, then the tone let us down. It is bad when there is no reflex in the first days after birth - this indicates birth trauma. Does the baby spread its arms every minute when you change clothes, at the slightest noise and even for no reason at all? The nervous system is overexcited - consult a specialist!

When it fades At 4-5 months.

Reflex Talent

Place the baby on the tummy and swipe the tip index finger to the left of the spine (departing from it no more than 1 cm) from top to bottom. The baby will arch the back in the opposite direction. Now do the same on the right.

What do you need to pay attention to? The reaction should be the same on both sides. It is called from the 5-6th day of life. If reflex in newborns weakened or absent during the first month, show the child to a neurologist.

When it fades At 3-4 months.

We develop a beautiful posture.

Call the Talent reflex in turn to the left and right of the spine several times in a row to strengthen the muscles of the back - this will help the baby develop a beautiful posture in the future.

Perez reflex

Be warned: Toddlers really don't like this exploration! In order not to disturb the baby once again, let the neurologist check the Perez reflex. He will run his finger along the spine from the bottom up, slightly pressing on the spinous processes that are palpable under the skin. In response to such an appeal, the child will scream in protest, raise his head, straighten his body, and bend his arms and legs. It's obvious that he's uncomfortable! But now both mommy and the doctor can be calm for the baby - his reaction is good, muscle tone uniform, everything is in order with the spinal cord.

What to pay attention to? The absence, inhibition or too long preservation of this reflex indicates damage to the central nervous system.

When it fades At 3-4 months.