Newborn Reflexes: find out what your child are capable of

After the birth – child won't lay still like a doll. He has a lot of reflexes that help him to adapt to a new reality.

Primary Reflexes. What are reflexes?

In medicine, this is the neural response of the body to stimuli. Congenital or unconditioned reflexes are hereditary, we got them through the evolution.

What kind of unconditioned reflexes do the infants have?

Oral reflexes:

1. The sucking reflex occurs in first hours after birth and goes away at the age of 18 months.
2. Proboscis response. If you touch newborn baby's lips, he would build them in a shape of tube. This reflex lasts for about 3 months.
3. Rooting reflex. Touch your baby’s cheek - he would turn his head in that direction and look for a source of food. Pressing the middle of a bottom lip will make him open his mouth in search for a breast. This reflex lasts for 4 months.
4. The hand-mouth reflex. Try to put your baby on his back and press center of his palm, in response to that pressure he would flex his head and open mouth.

Spinal reflexes

They are controlled by the spinal cord. Once the child is born he shall be checked for such reflexes at the hospital. 

1. Grasping reflex. If you put a small object in the palm of your newborn, he will squeeze it tightly. This ability will go away after 4 months.
2. Crawling reflex. If you put your baby on his tummy and touch his feet – he will push away and move forward.
3. Galant reflex. Stroking the low back of lying baby to one side of the spine will result in flexion in the opposite direction. This shows that even from birth both sides of the brain are connected and work together.
4. Perez Reflex. Run your finger down the baby’s spine and he will lift his pelvis up, then bend his back and flex his knees. In this position he often can pee and poop his pants. Neonatologist judges the work of spinal cord according to this innate reaction. 

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