Moro reflex
Moro reflex [mo´ro]
[môr′ō]
Etymology: Ernst Moro, German pediatrician, 1874-1951
a normal mass reflex in a young infant (up to 3 to 4 months of age) elicited by a sudden loud noise, such as by striking the table next to the child, or raising the head slightly and allowing it to drop. A normal response consists of flexion of the legs, an embracing posture of the arms, and usually a brief cry. Also called startle reflex.
Moro reflex [mo´ro]
flexion of an infant's thighs and knees, fanning and then clenching of fingers, with arms first thrown outward and then brought together as though embracing something; produced by a sudden stimulus, such as striking the table on either side of the child, and seen normally in the newborn. Called also embrace reflex.
The Moro reflex occurs when the infant is startled.
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