Abstract
The emergence of 7 primitive reflexes in a population of 47 premature infants with BW below 1300 gms born at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1983 is described. These extremely premature infants (67% were at or below 28 wks gestation) were examined weekly, from 1 week until discharge, and the primitive reflexes were quantitatively graded as to completeness and intensity of response.
The upper extremity (UE) and lower extremity (LE) grasps were present in all premature infants, from 25 wks postconceptional age (PCA) and beyond. The Moro, asymmetric tonic neck reflex (ATNR) and Galant were present in some as early as 25 wks PCA, and in the majority by 30 wks PCA. The positive support and stepping appeared at 30 wks PCA in some, yet were not universally present even by term (40 wks PCA). Each of the primitive reflexes became stronger, more complete and more prevalent with increasing postconceptional age. The pattern of primitive reflexes in the premature infant at term is similar to that of full term newborns.
Sequential assessment of the primitive reflexes may be a useful method of evaluating extremely premature infants prior to term.
1. Capute, A.J., F.B. Palmer, B.K. Shapiro et al: Primitive reflex profile: A quantitation of primitive reflexes in infancy, Dev Med Child Neur 1984, 26:375
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Allen, M., Capute, A. 1321 THE EVOLUTION OF PRIMITIVE REFLEXES PRIOR TO TERM IN EXTREMELY PREMATURE INFANTS. Pediatr Res 19, 331 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01345
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-01345
