Walking/ Stepping Reflex in the Newborn

Описание: When newborns are supported in the upright position with the soles of their feet touching a rigid surface, they are able to make alternate stepping movements that bear a striking similarity to the mature form of human independent locomotion. This is called the
stepping reflex’ or the ‘walking reflex’. Think of it as your baby’s brain practicing to walk one day!

This reflex is also thought to be a way for your newborn to get to the source of food — allowing your baby to crawl toward your breast when he or she is placed on mom’s belly after birth.

Some newborns are able to track w/ their eyes while performing this reflex - illustrating that coupling between optical flow & locomotion is present at birth. This suggesting a precocious capacity in the newborn to perceive & utilize visual information specifying self-motion. The findings may help the early diagnosis of infants with visual or visual-motor deficits & the development of visually-based interventions for disabled infants.

A healthy brain prepares for walking very early — in fact, these stepping motions have even been spotted in utero!

The stepping reflex tends to disappear around month 2 or 3. Rest assured, when stepping returns, it will be intentional and weight-bearing.

A beautiful reminder of lucky we are that our brain came equipped w/ these skills even before we took our first breath!
#MEDspiration

Learn more about this topic by checking out these links:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

https://www.healthline.com/health/bab...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
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