POSTURAL REFLEXES AND GRASP PHENOMENA IN INFANTS

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Abstract
Studies were made on the inter-relationship between tonic neck reflexes, labyrinthine reflexes and grasping phenomena on a group of 70 normal, premature infants, 30 full-term normal infants and one pathological infant. All infants weighing 5 lbs. or less at birth were classified as premature. The technique involved control elements so as to allow evaluation of the effects of sucking responses on the tonic responses in the limbs. In the normal premature and full-term infants with regard to the labyrinthine reflexes no definite correlation existed between changes of position of the body in space and the occurrence of grasping phenomena. Some degree of concurrence between positive tonic neck responses and grasping phenomena occurred. This concurrence was not invariable and did not occur with sufficient frequency to prove that the grasping phenomena in the limbs are an integral part of the tonic neck reflex mechanism.