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LPN Nursing · Newborn Assessment · Practice question

The nurse knows that which reflexes are present at birth for a full-term infant? Select all that apply.

Answer & explanation

Correct: Palmar grasp reflex · Tonic neck reflex · Moro reflex

Three reflexes are normally present in a full-term newborn at birth. The palmar grasp reflex is elicited when an object is placed in the infant's palm, causing the fingers to curl around it; this is present from birth and disappears around 3 to 6 months. The tonic neck reflex, also called the fencing reflex, occurs when the head is turned to one side and the arm on that side extends while the opposite arm flexes; it is present at birth and typically disappears by 4 to 6 months. The Moro reflex, or startle reflex, is elicited by a sudden stimulus and involves the infant extending the arms, spreading the fingers, and then bringing the arms back to the midline; it is present at birth and disappears around 3 to 6 months. The doll's eye reflex is not a normal neonatal reflex — in fact, persistent doll's eye movement in a newborn may indicate brainstem immaturity or pathology. Vertical following, a visual tracking behavior in the vertical plane, is a developmental milestone that emerges later in infancy and is not present at birth. These reflexes are assessed as part of the routine newborn neurological examination to confirm normal brainstem and spinal cord integrity.

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