All the following reflexes are present at birth EXCEPT?

AIIMS Bhuvneshwar NO- 2018

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Bhuvneshwar NO- 2018

Explanation

The Parachute reflex is the correct answer because it is not present at birth.
This reflex is a protective motor response that emerges later in infancy, typically around 6 to 9 months of age.
Its function is to protect the infant from injury during a fall by causing them to extend their arms forward, as if to break the fall.
Unlike primitive reflexes that integrate (disappear), the parachute reflex persists throughout a person's life.

Option B: The sucking reflex is a primitive reflex that is fully developed and present at birth in a term infant. It is essential for feeding and survival.
Option C: The Moro reflex, or startle reflex, is a key primitive reflex present at birth. Its absence or asymmetry can indicate neurological problems.
Option D: The palmar grasp reflex, where an infant will instinctively grasp an object placed in their palm, is a primitive reflex present at birth.

Visual 1: Diagram: A chart comparing primitive reflexes (e.g., Moro, sucking, grasp) with postural reflexes (e.g., parachute), showing their respective timelines of appearance and integration. This helps visualize the developmental sequence.
Visual 2: Illustration: A depiction of how to elicit the parachute reflex by holding an infant in a prone position and quickly lowering them towards a surface, showing the characteristic arm extension.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Neonatal and Infant Reflexes as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Assessing infant reflexes is a fundamental part of the newborn and pediatric neurological examination. The presence, strength, and symmetry of primitive reflexes, and their timely disappearance, provide critical information about the maturity and function of the central nervous system.
The absence of primitive reflexes like sucking or Moro at birth can be a red flag for conditions such as prematurity, birth asphyxia, CNS depression, or brachial plexus injury.
The timely emergence of postural reflexes like the parachute reflex is an important indicator of normal motor development. A significant delay in its appearance (e.g., beyond 10-12 months) may warrant further investigation for motor or neurological delays.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the negative framing of the question by spotting the keyword 'EXCEPT'. This means you are looking for the option that does not fit with the others.
The question's condition is 'present at birth'. Therefore, you need to find the one reflex among the options that is NOT present at birth.
Recall the typical developmental timeline for major infant reflexes.
Evaluate each option: Sucking (present at birth), Moro (present at birth), Palmar grasp (present at birth).
Identify the Parachute reflex. Recall that this is a protective reflex that appears later, around 6-9 months, when an infant starts to need protection from falls.
Conclude that the Parachute reflex is the correct exception.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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