To elicit the Moro reflex in a newborn, which action is correct?

To elicit the Moro reflex in a newborn, which action is correct?

• A. Stroke the soles of the feet
• B. Hold the infant on his back and allow his head and trunk to drop back a short distance
• C. Clap hands beside the ear
• D. Hold the infant upright, letting one foot touch the surface

Answer: (B)

The Moro reflex is a rapid startle response triggered by a sudden loss of support. By holding the newborn and allowing the head and trunk to drop back a short distance, you create that abrupt change in position. In response, the infant typically flings the arms outward and then crosses them toward the chest, with the hands open, followed by the arms curling back in. This pattern is normal in the first months of life and usually disappears by about 4 to 6 months. Stroking the soles of the feet evokes the Babinski plantar reflex, not the Moro response. Clapping hands beside the ear may startle the infant but doesn’t produce the characteristic Moro arm movements. Holding the infant upright to let a foot touch a surface tests the stepping (walking) reflex.

The Moro reflex is a rapid startle response triggered by a sudden loss of support. By holding the newborn and allowing the head and trunk to drop back a short distance, you create that abrupt change in position. In response, the infant typically flings the arms outward and then crosses them toward the chest, with the hands open, followed by the arms curling back in. This pattern is normal in the first months of life and usually disappears by about 4 to 6 months.

Stroking the soles of the feet evokes the Babinski plantar reflex, not the Moro response. Clapping hands beside the ear may startle the infant but doesn’t produce the characteristic Moro arm movements. Holding the infant upright to let a foot touch a surface tests the stepping (walking) reflex.