OT NBCOT Exam Human Development: Reflexes WITH QUALITY ANSWERS

Rooting Reflex Onset age: 28 wks gestation Integration age: 3 months Stimulus: Stroke the corner of the mouth, upper lip, and lower lip. Response: Movement of the tongue, mouth, and/or head towards stimulus. Relevance: Allows searching for and locating feeding source. Suck-Swallow Reflex Onset age: 28 wks gestation Integration age: 2-5 months Stimulus: Place examiner's index finger inside infant's mouth with head in midline. Response: Strong, rhythmical sucking. Relevance: Allows ingestion of nourishment. Traction Reflex Onset age: 28 wks gestation Integration age: 2-5 months Stimulus: Grasp infant's forearms and pull-to-sit. Response: Complete flexion of UE. Relevance: Enhances momentary reflexive grasp. Moro Reflex Onset: 28 wks gestation Integration age: 4-6 months Stimulus: Rapidly drop infant's head backwards. Response: First, arm extension/abduction, hand opening, then arm flexion and adduction. Relevance: Facilitates ability to depart from dominant flexor posture. Protective response. Plantar Grasp Reflex Onset age: 28 wks gestation Integration age: 9 months Stimulus: Apply pressure with thumb on the infant's ball of the foot. Response: Toe flexion. Relevance: Increases tactile input to sole of foot. Galant Reflex Onset age: 32 wks gestation Integration age: 2 months Stimulus: Hold infant in prone suspension, gently scratch or tap alongside the spine with finger, from shoulder to buttocks. Response: Lateral trunk flexion and wrinkling of the skin on the stimulated side. Relevance: Facilitates lateral trunk movements necessary for trunk stabilization. Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex Onset age: 37 wks gestation Integration age: 4-6 months Stimulus: Fully rotate infant's head and hold for 5 seconds. Response: Extension of extremities on the face side, flexion of extremities on the skull side. Relevance: Promotes visual hand regard. Palmar Grasp Reflex Onset age: 37 wks gestation Integration age: 4-6 months Stimulus: Place examiner's finger in child's palm. Response: Finger flexion; reflexive grasp. Relevance: Increases tactile input on the palm of hand. Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex- Supine Onset age: 37 wks gestation Integration age: 6 months Stimulus: Place infant in supine. Response: Increased extensor tone. Relevance: Facilitates total-body extensor tone. Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex- Prone Onset age: 37 wks gestation Integration age: 6 months Stimulus: Place infant in prone. Response: Increased flexor tone. Relevance: Facilitates total-body flexor tone. Labyrinthine/Optical (head) Righting Reflex Onset age: birth-2 months Integration: Persists Stimulus: Hold infant suspended vertically and tilt slowly (about 45 degrees) to the side, forward, or backward. Response: Upright positioning of the head. Relevance: Orients head in space; maintains face vertical.