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Moro reflex

• Overview
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Startle response; Startle reflex; Embrace reflex

Home Care:

It is not necessary to check for a Moro reflex at home. Your doctor will check this reflex during an office visit.

Call your health care provider if:

Call your health care provider if you think your baby may have a fractured clavicle (shoulder bone) or a brachial plexus injury, which can cause the loss of the Moro reflex on one side.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Medical history questions may include:

• History of the labor and birth
• Detailed family history
• Other symptoms

Note: An abnormal Moro reflex is usually discovered by the health care provider.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

The Moro reflex will be evaluated. The muscular system and nervous system may need to have detailed examination, if the reflex is absent or abnormal.

Diagnostic tests, in cases of decreased or absent reflex, may include:

• Clavicle or shoulder joint x-ray
• Tests for disorders associated with brachial plexus injury

AFTER SEEING YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER

You may want to add a diagnosis related to an abnormal Moro reflex to your child's personal medical record.

References:

Zafeiriou DI. Primitive reflexes and postural reactions in the neurodevelopmental examination. Pediatr Neurol . 2004; 31(1): 1-8.

Bear LM. Early identification of infants at risk for developmental disabilities. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2004; 51(3): 685-701.

• Review Date: 5/10/2006
• Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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