The Moro reflex is best described as?

• A. Turning his head when a hand touches his cheek.
• B. Grasping a finger placed in his palm.
• C. Sucking when something is placed in his mouth.
• D. Throwing his arms wide making a grasping motion.

Answer: (D)

The Moro reflex is a startle response in newborns. When startled or when support is briefly lost, the baby first extends the arms outward and upward (abduction), then pulls them back toward the midline in a embracing motion. This wide-armed, grasping sequence directly matches the described response of throwing the arms wide and making a grasping motion. It’s a primitive reflex that typically appears around 28 weeks of gestation and disappears by about 4 to 6 months of age. Other reflexes describe different actions—rooting is turning toward a touch on the cheek, the palmar grasp is a finger grasp when something is placed in the palm, and sucking occurs when something is placed in the mouth.