Those who have not yet become parents can mistakenly perceive a newborn as a creature that is enough to feed, bathe and, lulling, put to sleep.
However, a newborn, like an adult, is a complex, living organism, with a whole set of reflexes that helped them survive earlier and adapt to the world around them now.
Many young parents can be frightened by the unexpected and sharp throwing of the handles and loud crying in the newborn manifestation of the so-called Moro reflex. It is also often called a fright reflex, it will be discussed later.
Primary characteristic of
The first given reaction of the child to external stimuli was described by Dr. Moreau in his works after the First World War.
A German specialist, a pediatrician, caused this reflex by consecutive loud, unexpected blows to the baby on the surface, near the child's head. He described it as the primary manifestations of natural instincts, when, in fright, the child, as it were, captures his mother, defending himself against external stimuli.
It is often enough that Moro's reflex is called a fright reaction by the doctors - its essence is that the child shows a reaction to the blow, symmetrically spreading the handles to the sides.
Fingers the child unbends and in this position can maintain the position of the body for a few seconds, then returning his hands to the starting position, clenching his fingers in the fists. Quite often such a reaction can be accompanied by the crying of the baby.
With normal growth and development of breast milk, Moro's reflex dies down and completely passes to 2-4 months, less often by half a year; if 
is diagnosed in a child after 6 months of age, this indicates that there are health problems of the child, in particular with peripheral andcentral nervous system.
All the importance of this reflex is that it indicates the degree of development, the presence or absence of abnormalities in the nervous system of the baby, its adaptation to the external world. By its intensity, it brightly manifests itself immediately after childbirth, gradually fading to half a year, but if this did not happen - this indicates problems with the central nervous system. Accordingly, the child should be shown to a neurologist.
How the
reaction is tested This reflex is checked by pediatricians after the birth of the baby and it is done simply enough, similar testing can even be carried out by the parents themselves. The test is as follows:
- At a distance of 15-20 centimeters from the place where the head of the newborn lies on a flat surface, the cribs are beaten by the hand or at the level of the ear clap their hands. This is exactly how Moro himself did, after which the reflex is named, but the reaction can manifest itself both in a sharp and loud sound, in abrupt movements.
- The child, as a response, there are such movements - he spreads his hands in different directions, opens his hands, then pulls them to him, trying to grab something for some reason. The legs of the baby at this point can be reflexively pulled to the stomach or straightened - this reaction is normal.
The reaction manifests itself in two phases: first the baby will be pulled back, deviating somewhat, straightening the shoulders, then spreading the limbs in different directions, straightening the fists. The second stage of the reflex - takes the former, the starting position, the embryo posture.
The nervous reaction in a newborn should be symmetrical, both on the left and on the right side - if it is absent, then it is about the asymmetry of the Moro reflex.
Quite often, this reflex manifests itself in children during sleep - frightening it can even the slightest noise, sound, when the child will automatically respond to them crying and throwing their hands to the sides. To exclude such displays it does not turn out - it is recommended to minimize all noise, sharp sounds and knocking to a minimum.
What is the norm and pathology?
Reflexes in a newborn are checked by a neonatologist on the first day after his birth, followed by a pediatrician.
The norm of manifestation in the infant of the Moro reflex is the appearance of the latter on external stimuli in the age of 4-6 months, but when strong sound will be left without special attention after this period.
Response to the stimulus is also accompanied by the following symptoms:
- heart palpitations and adrenaline rush into the blood;
- breathes in and out;
- strong and loud crying.
This is also the norm, and it goes by itself in a few minutes - the reflex itself completely disappears in the baby for up to six months. Otherwise, it is a pathology, a deviation in the normal development of the child and requires surgical intervention of doctors and the appointment of an appropriate course of treatment.
As noted earlier, this reflex in a newborn passes up to six years of age, but if its manifestations are diagnosed after a 6-month period, this indicates a lesion of the cerebral cortex.
If the baby is healthy, he will, with a loud sound, raise his arms and legs to the sides symmetrically, flexing his fingers and returning to his previous position.
In the diagnosis of intracranial trauma received during childbirth, this reflex will not be present in the infant, indicating the suppression of the central or peripheral nervous system.
If pronounced hypertension, the reflex of Moreau will manifest itself incomplete when the child will only slightly withdraw his hands. If the CNS is affected, the child will hold his hands for a long time, with his fingers open, in a dilute position.
If an asymmetric reflex is diagnosed, when the child withdraws one arm or leg or a complete absence of it - this indicates the development of cerebral palsy or the Erba paralysis, hemiparesis is possible. All this is a consequence of the defeat of the central or peripheral nervous system.
In case of prolonged absence of reaction in the baby to external stimuli, or when it decreases, the newborn should be shown to specialists.
How to get adequate results?
When diagnosing and determining the level of development of baby's reflexes, it is necessary to take into account such factors and basic 
positions:
- physiological, general condition of the baby - it should be full, rested and in no way overexcited, it is also mandatory to take into account the general state of health,or not, healthy or sick, and if you feel unwell, the study is recommended to be postponed;
- Moro reaction test is carried out in the dynamics of its manifestation, not limited to single testing - it is best if it is done in the morning, after 1.5-2 hours after feeding;
- takes into account the characteristics of nervous activity, the level of excitability of the child.
When evaluating the results, it is important to pay attention to how pronounced the fright reaction is, the terms of the first and second phases.
The characteristics of the reaction give an idea of how much the child is adapted to the world around him.
You can be calm
For the most part, young mothers and dads can sleep peacefully and do not worry, since the fright reflex is an absolutely normal reaction of infants to external and internal stimuli.
The main thing that parents should remember is not to go to extremes and not to be touched constantly by the behavior of their child, playing with him playing with his hands.
Quite often parents make one unforgivable mistake - by loud claps next to the baby, they force to throw up his legs and hands.
This should never be done, this reflex is caused by strong emotions, fear and stress, and its frequent manifestation can provoke numerous problems with the nervous system in the future.
