Definition
When a child is born, it is already equipped with a number of innate reflexes that are intended to ensure survival, especially in infancy. They serve as a natural protective function to maintain vital bodily functions. Some of these reflexes disappear again in the course of the first months of life and others remain throughout life. Early childhood reflexes are innate, involuntary reactions that cannot be controlled and are triggered by a specific stimulus. They are not individual, but follow the same pattern for each person.
General reflexes at birth
Immediately after birth, the baby is already equipped with some innate protective mechanisms in the form of reflexes, which should ensure the baby’s survival. Most of the early childhood reflexes disappear again during the first months of life and are replaced by complex, coordinated sequences of actions. For this reason, they are regularly checked by the pediatrician during the first preventive examinations.
They are a good parameter for estimating the child’s development and maturation. If the reflexes disappear only incompletely or too late, this can lead to far-reaching developmental disorders. One of the reflexes that are already present at birth is the search reflex.
From birth on, babies are characterized by a sufficient food intake. Therefore, they instinctively begin to search for the mother’s breast. If you lightly stroke the baby’s cheek, it begins to turn in the direction of the stimulus, opening its mouth and sucking.
Once the baby has found the breast, the sucking and swallowing reflex, which is also innate, is immediately triggered. If something is placed in the baby’s mouth, for example a pacifier or the mother’s nipple, the baby immediately begins to suck and swallow. This ensures that the baby’s food intake is satisfactory.
Another early childhood reflex is the grasping reflex. If one strokes the baby over the palm of the hand, it closes the fingers and grasps. Only in the course of the first few months does this already innate reflex develop into a trained action sequence.
The respiratory reflex is another important reflex which is already fully developed in the first days of life. This reflex ensures that no water enters the child’s lungs. If the baby’s mouth and nose come into contact with water, the upper airways are immediately closed.
Since this reflex only takes effect in the first months of life, so-called baby swimming is only possible for a relatively limited period of time. Further reflexes to check the sense of balance are the Moro reflex and the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex. Another reflex that can also be triggered immediately after birth is the glabellar reflex. After tapping the glabella, i.e. the bone bulge between the eyes and above the root of the nose, the baby rules by closing the eyes.
