New born reflexes which are present at birth and remain unchanged throughout adulthood:

Appeared in: SJH Nursing Officer - 2019

Explanation

The question asks to identify a set of reflexes that are present at birth and persist into adulthood.
Blinking, coughing, sneezing, and the gag reflex are all classified as protective reflexes.
These reflexes are crucial for protecting the body from harmful stimuli (e.g., foreign objects, airway irritants) and are not inhibited by the developing brain.
Therefore, they are present from birth and remain unchanged throughout a person's life.

Option A: This option includes the rooting reflex, which is a primitive reflex, not a permanent one.
Option C: This option also includes the rooting reflex, which is a primitive reflex that disappears in infancy.
Option D: This option includes the stepping reflex, a primitive reflex that disappears by about 2 months of age.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Differentiation between primitive and protective newborn reflexes as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Assessing newborn reflexes is a critical part of the neonatal neurological examination.
The absence of protective reflexes like gagging or coughing can indicate a neurological problem and significantly increases the risk of aspiration.
The persistence of primitive reflexes (e.g., Moro or rooting) beyond their expected age of disappearance can be a red flag for central nervous system dysfunction or developmental delays.

How to Approach the Question

First, understand the question's core requirement: identify reflexes that are permanent, lasting from birth into adulthood.
Mentally categorize newborn reflexes into two groups: 'primitive' (those that disappear) and 'protective' (those that are permanent).
Scan each option to identify any primitive reflexes. Common primitive reflexes include rooting, sucking, Moro, stepping, and palmar grasp.
Eliminate any option that contains one or more primitive reflexes.
Option A and C contain 'rooting'. Eliminate them.
Option D contains 'stepping'. Eliminate it.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Differentiation between primitive and protective newborn reflexes
Stem keywords: New born reflexes, present at birth, remain unchanged, adulthood
Lead-in keywords: which are
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Text Book Of Pediatric Nursing 3rd Panchali Pal — Part 1 (pp 36-238 of 713) p. 155-157

Practise the full SJH Nursing Officer - 2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.