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Notice how this infant has a sudden splaying of the arms when experiencing a sudden sensation of falling.
This is believed to be a survival instinct to help the infant cling to its mother (seen as early as 25 weeks in-utero & begins to disappear 3-6 months in healthy babies). Incredible to imagine that each of us were born with these protective reflexes already intact without ever needing to do a thing!
Production of the reflex is by the suddenness of the stimuli & NOT the distance of the drop. There is no need to lift the infants head off of the bed to elicit this reflex (also notice the practitioner properly support the baby’s head while performing this exam).
The absence or premature disappearance of this reflex can result from a birth injury, severe asphyxia during the birthing process, intracranial hemorrhage, infection, brain malformation, general muscular weakness, & cerebral palsy of the spastic type. Asymmetrical Moro can be due to a local injury. Damage to a peripheral nerve, cervical cord, or a fracture of the clavicle are common causes & lead to inhibition of the reflex on the affected side. Prolonged retention of the Moro reflex can also be a sign of spastic cerebral palsy. One study showed a clear association between retained primitive reflexes & delay in motor development in very low birth weight infants.
DISCLAIMER: this exam should only be performed by a trained expert, do not try at home.
#pediatrics | #newborn | #familymedicine | #neuroscience