The palmar grasp reflex which is sometimes referred to as the newborn grasping reflex is a primitive reflex in human newborns and most primates.

When an object is placed onto a child’s hand and his palm is stroked, the fingers are reflexively closed while the object is held through a grasping reflex.

This grip albeit strong is unpredictable (1). Although the grip is enough to support the child, he may release his grip suddenly and without prior warning.

You can simply induce the reverse motion by stroking the back of your baby’s hand.

Most of your child’s activities during the first weeks of his life are reflexive (2).

For example, if you put your finger in his mouth, the baby does not think of what to do, he simply sucks the finger by reflex. When you flash a bright light in front of the baby’s eye, he doesn’t think of what to do but tightly shuts his eyes, this is because shutting the eye is what the reflex makes him do.

Babies are born with many automatic responses, some of these reflexes remain with the child for a couple of months, but others vanish in a matter of weeks.

In some cases, these reflexes may become voluntary actions.

For instance, babies are born with the reflex of turning their head towards your hand when you stroke their mouth or cheek, this is helpful for the kid to find her mother’s nipple when it’s feeding time.

At first, the baby will root from side to side, first toward the nipple, and then she’ll move away in a decreasing arc. However, after about three weeks, your child will only turn her head towards the sucking position.

Reflexes are helpful for the recognition of normal cerebral and nerve activity. Some of the reflexes only occur at certain stages of development.

Every parent must take the grasping reflex of their child seriously and may even try it out regularly to know the progress of their baby’s development. It is probably one of the most interesting involuntary movements you’d see babies exhibit.

While this reflex action makes it difficult to capture fingerprints, it is important to for instance make sure your baby’s older sibling can hold the hand of his/her new little brother or sister.

The grasp reflex can also work on the feet of the newborn (3). When the sole of your child’s foot is stroked, the baby’s toes are opened automatically and the foot turns slightly inwards.

Sometimes this is called the Babinski’s reflex, and of course, it is fun to watch.

Types of reflexes:

The sucking reflex:

While rooting prepares the baby to suckle. Once the roof of his mouth is touched, the baby starts to suckle(4). This reflex may not start until around the 32nd week of pregnancy and does not fully develop until after about 36 weeks.

For this reason, premature babies may have a low or immature ability to suck. Newborns also have what is known as a hand-to-mouth reflex which is associated with rooting and sucking and makes them suck on either fingers or hands.

Root Reflex:

The root reflex starts at the corner of the child’s mouth is touched or stroked. The child then turns his head and opens his mouth to follow and “roots” toward the direction from where the stroke came from.

It helps the child locate his/her mothers’ breast or feeding bottle to start feeding

Moro Reflex:

The Moro reflex is mostly called the panic or startle reflex, as it usually occurs when a child is startled due to loud noise or movement.

In an attempt to respond to this noise or sound, the child throws his head back, stretches his arms and legs, begins to cry, and then withdraws his arms and legs.

His own cry can even startle him and trigger the Moro reflex. The Moro reflex may last for around 5 to 6 months.

Tonic neck reflex:

The tonic neck reflex is observed when the baby’s head turns toward one side, then the arm on that particular side stretches and the other arm bends at the elbow.

This may sometimes be called “the fencing position”. This tonic neck reflex may last about 6 to 7 months.

Grasp reflex:

The grasp reflex is observed as you stroke the palm of your baby and he presses his fingers firm on the stroked hand.

This grasp reflex can last in a child until around 5 to 6 months.

Babinski reflex:

The Babinski reflex is observed when the sole of the baby’s foot is firmly caressed, the toe bends back toward the top of his foot and his other toes are spread out. It’s a normal reflex and may last until about 2 years.

Step reflex:

The step reflex is also known as the dance or walking reflex since the child seems to be taking steps or dancing when he is standing up (while been held) and his feet are touching any solid surface.

A further breakdown of the grasp reflex and it trigger

Trigger: Press into your baby’s palm with your finger or any other object.

Response:

your baby will make a fist while trying to grab your finger or whatever object was used to stoke his palm.

How long does this grasp reflect last? The grasp reflex appears from birth and may last up to about 6 months.

The reason this happens:

the reflex prepares the child for voluntary grasping.

It is interesting to note that this grasp may be strong enough to hold the baby’s total weight, but do not try to make the baby suspend himself. It is not advisable because the baby may leg to of the grip without warning.

When does the newborn grasping reflex occur and how does it develop?

Newborn – 2 months old

Your baby is born with the newborn grasping reflex. When you touch your baby’s palm you’d see the way he/she will curl or wrap her finger around yours.

However, as we have established earlier, the movements are instinctive and involuntary, these go on for the baby’s first eight weeks.

During this period, the child’s hands are usually closed in a fist, but the baby will soon start opening and closing his palm intentionally while examining them.

He could also try to get a hold of soft objects like a stuffed animal.

3 months

At three months, it is normal that your child still cannot accurately get a hold of what he/she wants exactly, but he can still bat at the toys repeatedly.

He also develops his hand-eye coordination, while taking note of the things he would like to hold as he attempts to reach to them.

Your child with a floor gym can lie on soft floors or carpet and try to swipe at the stuff hanging over him or her.

4 to 8 months

After about 4 months, your child can now pick large objects like blocks.

The baby may not have the ability to hold smaller objects yet, (like peas) until he develops better dexterity. Just before having his/her first tooth (which is usually around 4 and 7 months), the baby may start to pick up objects here and there to put them in his/her mouth. I

f the baby has started eating solid food, he still won’t be able to hold his baby spoon yet, although he would keep trying.

When does this newborn grasping reflex start disappearing?

The grasp starts to disappear gradually as the child reaches 2 to 3 months old.

Since the newborn grasping reflex is there to help the child develop voluntary grasping, the absence of this ability may indicate that there is a neurological defect or a motor nerve injury or damage such as cerebral palsy from birth.

But since the presence of this newborn grasping reflex is always tested in hospitals after delivery, any form of abnormality is likely to be treated the moment it is discovered.

What role do you have to play?

In order to stimulate your newborn’s grasping reflex, you have to put colorful objects or toys slightly beyond their reach, and then encourage the baby to grab them.

You don’t have to frustrate the baby by putting the object very far away, so much that she can’t reach it.

Provide many objects she can reach. Objects like plastic rings, soft blocks, board books, etc.

When he or she starts working on her grasp, provide encouragement that she picks up soft finger foods like cooked carrots, peas, etc. allow her perfect those before moving to the next step. But ensure you keep solid foods away from him or her to avoid choking.

As your baby reaches 18 months old, he’ll begin to discover that he’s able to place many of the objects he grasps into some other things.

As a parent, you may help him develop on this skill by providing the objects he’d put in the empty boxes or plastic cylinders here and there.

When should you be concerned?

You may start raising an eyebrow if by the end of two or three months your baby cannot grasp an object been passed in front of him.

Or if he does not even attempt to pick up any object at three to four months old. It is best to discuss the issue with your doctor.

It is important to know that premature kids may however reach this stage later than their peers. So it is best to discuss a reasonable time frame with your doctor.

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