PROSPECTIVE FOLLOW-UP OF PRIMITIVE REFLEX PROFILES IN HIGH-RISK INFANTS - CLUES TO AN EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF CEREBRAL-PALSY

To clarify reflex profiles in the first year of life in connection wit h categories of neurologic abnormality, eight primitive reflexes (i.e. , the palmar grasp reflex, the plantar grasp reflex, the Galant respon se, the asymmetric tonic neck reflex, the suprapubic extensor reflex, the crossed extensor reflex, the Rossolimo reflex, and the heel reflex ) were prospectively examined in 204 high-risk infants, of whom 58 dev eloped cerebral palsy, 22 had developmental retardation, and 124 were normal at follow-up examination at 2 years of age, The change in the r etention time of reflex activity for each of these reflexes was charac teristic for each category or type of neurologic abnormality: retentio n of palmar grasp reflex, suprapubic extensor reflex, crossed extensor reflex, Rossolimo reflex, and heel reflex in spastic cerebral palsy, as well as retention of plantar grasp reflex, Galant reflex, and asymm etric tonic neck reflex in athetoid cerebral palsy and somewhat weaker retention of these reflexes in developmental retardation (statistical significance P < .001 compared with normally developed patients). The se characteristic changes imply that a presumptive diagnosis can be ma de in neurologically high-risk infants by examination of the primitive reflexes, which are of specific significance among the other neurolog ic criteria within the first year of life.