The nurse is aware that the age at which the posterior fontanelle closes is _____ months.

Newborn (infant) reflexes NCLEX questions quiz for nursing students!

For exams, you want to be familiar with newborn reflexes. Newborns are born with reflexes (sometimes referred to as primitive reflexes) that help them survive the first months to year of life. These reflexes include: rooting, suck, palmar grasp, Babinski, plantar grasp, tonic neck, crawling, step, and Moro reflexes.

Therefore, when studying these reflexes you want to be familiar with:

• How to assess each newborn reflex
• Appropriate response of each infant reflex
• Age range when the newborn reflex disappears

Newborn Infant Reflexes NCLEX Nursing Question Quiz

These quiz questions will test your nursing knowledge on newborn infant reflexes for the NCLEX exam.

• 1. During an assessment of an infant, you note that when the infant's head is turned to the right side, the leg and arm on the right side will extend, while the leg and arm on the left side will flex. You document this as what type of reflex?*
  • A. Rooting Reflex
  • B. Sucking Reflex
  • C. Moro Reflex
  • D. Tonic Neck Reflex

• 2. Select the option below that best describes how to assess the palmar grasp reflex:*
  • A. Stroke the cheek of the infant and assess if the head turns toward the stimuli.
  • B. Stroke the sole of the foot starting at the heel to the outward part of the foot and assess if the big toe bends back and the other toes spread out.
  • C. Hold the infant upright with the legs and feet touching a surface and assess if the infant will move the legs in a stepping motion.
  • D. Stroke the inside of the infant's hand with an object and assess if the hand closes around the object.

• 3. You note that when a finger is placed under the toes of a newborn, the toes will curl downward. This is known as the __________?*
  • A. Babinski reflex
  • B. Plantar grasp reflex
  • C. Tonic Neck reflex
  • D. Step reflex

• 4. When the Moro Reflex is stimulated in an infant, the infant will _____________the arms with the palms of the hands turned ___________ and then move the arms ___________ the body.*
  • A. flex, upward, away from
  • B. extend, upward, back to
  • C. flex, downward, back to
  • D. extend, downward, away from

• 5. When does the sucking reflex in an infant disappear and become voluntary?*
  • A. 6 months
  • B. 2 months
  • C. 4 months
  • D. 12 months

• 6. In a 3-month-old infant you assess the Babinski Reflex. What is the appropriate response in an infant at this age?*
  • A. The big toe plantar flexes and the other toes curl downward.
  • B. All the toes curl downward.
  • C. The big toe dorsiflexes and the other toes spread outward.
  • D. The big toe plantar flexes and the other toes fan outward.

• 7. You note when a 2-month-old is held upright with the legs and feet touching the surface, the infant will appear to be walking on the surface. This reflex is called the?*
  • A. Bauer Crawling Reflex
  • B. Push-to-Walk Reflex
  • C. Babinski Reflex
  • D. Step Reflex

• 8. The nurse wants to assess the crawling reflex in a newborn. How is this reflex assessed?*
  • A. The nurse places the infant in the prone position and applies pressure with the hand to the sole of the foot. In response, the infant should attempt to push against the hand and move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.
  • B. The nurse places the infant in the supine position and applies pressure with the hand to the sole of the foot. In response, the infant should attempt to push against the hand and move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.
  • C. The nurse places the infant in the prone position and applies pressure with the hand to the neck. In response, the infant should attempt to move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.
  • D. The nurse places the infant in the supine position. In response, the infant should attempt to lift the head and move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.

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1. During an assessment of an infant, you note that when the infant’s head is turned to the right side, the leg and arm on the right side will extend, while the leg and arm on the left side will flex. You document this as what type of reflex?

A. Rooting Reflex

B. Sucking Reflex

C. Moro Reflex

D. Tonic Neck Reflex

The answer is D. When the infant’s head is turned to a particular side, the leg and arm on that side will extend, while the leg and arm on the opposite side will flex.

2. Select the option below that best describes how to assess the palmar grasp reflex:

A. Stroke the cheek of the infant and assess if the head turns toward the stimuli.

B. Stroke the sole of the foot starting at the heel to the outward part of the foot and assess if the big toe bends back and the other toes spread out.

C. Hold the infant upright with the legs and feet touching a surface and assess if the infant will move the legs in a stepping motion.

D. Stroke the inside of the infant’s hand with an object and assess if the hand closes around the object.

The answer is D. Stroking the inside of the infant’s hand with an object and assessing if the hand closes around the object helps assess the palmar grasp reflex.

3. You note that when a finger is placed under the toes of a newborn, the toes will curl downward. This is known as the __________?

A. Babinski reflex

B. Plantar grasp reflex

C. Tonic Neck reflex

D. Step reflex

The answer is B. This is known as the plantar grasp reflex.

4. When the Moro Reflex is stimulated in an infant, the infant will _____________the arms with the palms of the hands turned ___________ and then move the arms ___________ the body.

A. flex, upward, away from

B. extend, upward, back to

C. flex, downward, back to

D. extend, downward, away from

The answer is B. When the Moro Reflex is stimulated in an infant, the infant will EXTEND the arms with the palms of the hand turned UPWARD and then move the arms BACK TO the body.

5. When does the sucking reflex in an infant disappear and become voluntary?

A. 6 months

B. 2 months

C. 4 months

D. 12 months

The answer is C: 4 months. The sucking reflex in an infant will disappear and become a voluntary function at about 4 months of age.

6. In a 3-month-old infant you assess the Babinski Reflex. What is the appropriate response in an infant at this age?

A. The big toe plantar flexes and the other toes curl downward.

B. All the toes curl downward.

C. The big toe dorsiflexes and the other toes spread outward.

D. The big toe plantar flexes and the other toes fan outward.

The answer is C. The Babinski reflex should disappear around 1 year of age. However, in an infant this age the big toe should dorsiflex (bend back) and the other toes spread outward.

7. You note when a 2-month-old is held upright with the legs and feet touching the surface, the infant will appear to be walking on the surface. This reflex is called the?

A. Bauer Crawling Reflex

B. Push-to-Walk Reflex

C. Babinski Reflex

D. Step Reflex

The answer is D. This is known as the step reflex.

8. The nurse wants to assess the crawling reflex in a newborn. How is this reflex assessed?

A. The nurse places the infant in the prone position and applies pressure with the hand to the sole of the foot. In response, the infant should attempt to push against the hand and move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.

B. The nurse places the infant in the supine position and applies pressure with the hand to the sole of the foot. In response, the infant should attempt to push against the hand and move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.

C. The nurse places the infant in the prone position and applies pressure with the hand to the neck. In response, the infant should attempt to move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.

D. A. The nurse places the infant in the supine position. In response, the infant should attempt to lift the head and move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.

The answer is A: The nurse places the infant in the prone position and applies pressure with the hand to the sole of the foot. In response, the infant should attempt to push against the hand and move the arms and legs in a crawling like motion.

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