Table of Contents
- Overview
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
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 broken shoulder bone or injury to the nerves that run from the lower neck and upper shoulder area (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
An abnormal Moro reflex is usually discovered by the health care provider. The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about the child's medical history. Medical history questions may include:
- History of the labor and birth
- Detailed family history
- Other symptoms
If the reflex is absent or abnormal, further tests may need to be done to examine the child's muscles and nerves. Diagnostic tests, in cases of decreased or absent reflex, may include:
- Shoulder x-ray
- Tests for disorders associated with brachial plexus injury
Previous Section
Review Date: 11/02/2009
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of
Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also
reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
