Infantile reflexes

Alternative names:

primitive reflexes; reflexes in infants

Home care:

Call your health care provider if:

(Abnormal infantile reflexes are usually discovered by the health care provider, and the affected individual, or the parents in the case of an infant, may or may not have been aware of its presence.)

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Documenting infantile reflexes in detail may include:
In an infant:

• What reflexes were present?
• At what age did each infantile reflex disappear?

In an older child or adult:

• What reflexes were present?
• What other symptoms are also present?
• Is there decreased consciousness or seizures?

Physical examination:
An evaluation of the infantile reflexes is performed during well-baby examinations. The (abnormal) presence of infantile reflexes in an older child or adult is discovered during neurological examination.

After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a diagnosis related to abnormal infantile reflexes to your personal medical record.

Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Utah Health Informatics and adam.com editorial