When a baby gets surprised or scared, like from a sudden movement or loud noise, she might startle: extending her neck and arms, taking a quick breath in, then flexing her spine and limbs while crying loudly. This reflex helps babies take their first breath after birth and alerts parents for help.

This startle response is like a fight-or-flight reaction, where stress hormones increase heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. It begins in the first few months of life and later becomes the less intense startle reaction we adults experience.

If there are issues with integrating the startle reflex (known as the Moro reflex), it could lead to a child who is overly reactive, easily distracted, has poor attention, and might even be diagnosed with ADHD. These children might get sick more often and could be extra sensitive to certain foods and airborne allergens because of the stress hormones they're frequently exposed to.

In babies, when the head turns to one side, it naturally causes the arm on that side to stretch out and move away from the body. This reflex helps babies during birth and also allows them to see their hand, which is important for developing hand-eye coordination and judging distances.

If this reflex, called the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, doesn't develop properly, the child may have trouble with coordination and balance while crawling or walking. They might find it hard to use both sides of their body together and struggle to bring their arms together (like catching balls). Tasks like holding a pencil, writing, and reading could also be challenging for them.

In babies, when you touch their palm with your finger, their fingers will close and grip onto it. This reflex goes way back in evolution when babies would cling onto their mother for safety.

If this reflex, called the Palmar Grasp Reflex, doesn't develop properly, the child might have trouble with hand and finger control, holding pencils, and writing. They might also be hypersensitive to touch on their hands. Because this reflex is linked to the Rooting and Sucking Reflex, the child might also drool a lot and have delayed speech and clear pronunciation.

Gently stroking a baby’s cheek and lips triggers a reflex where they turn their head, open their mouth, and extend their tongue, searching for a nipple to suck and swallow.

If this reflex, known as the Rooting and Sucking Reflex, doesn't integrate properly, the child may be overly sensitive around their mouth, have difficulty chewing and swallowing solid foods, and might struggle with speech and clear pronunciation. They might also drool a lot, suck their thumb, and, because of its link to the Palmar Reflex, have trouble with hand dexterity and be hypersensitive to touch on their hands.

When you stroke the muscles along a baby's lower back on one side, you might notice a slight tightening of those muscles. This reflex is believed to help babies move around during the birth process. Bilateral (both sides) stimulation of these muscles is also linked to urination.

If this reflex, known as the Galant Reflex, doesn't integrate properly, the child might have difficulty sitting still, seem restless, and have coordination issues. They might also experience bedwetting and, in some cases, develop scoliosis.

This reflex helps the body understand its position in space and how it interacts with the senses. When the neck bends forward, the limbs bend, and when the neck straightens, the limbs straighten too.

If this reflex, known as the Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, doesn't integrate properly, the child may experience issues with their vestibular system and how it works with other senses. They might have low muscle tone, be slow to reach motor milestones, and seem stiff, unbalanced, and clumsy. Vision and hearing problems, as well as motion sickness, could also be present. Toe walking might indicate that this reflex is still active.

This reflex isn't considered a primitive reflex because it develops after birth. It's the rocking motion babies do on their hands and knees just before they start crawling.

When the baby bends their neck forward, their arms bend, hips straighten, and their eyes focus on something close. This makes them rock forward. When they lift their head up, their arms straighten, hips bend, and they focus on something far away, rocking back in the process.