Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFirst SignsTesting for ItAdditional ReflexesWhen It LingersWhen It Is AbsentQuestions for a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
First Signs
Testing for It
Additional Reflexes
When It Lingers
When It Is Absent
Questions for a Provider
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First Signs of Tonic Neck Reflex in Babies
Additional Reflexes to Recognize
Additional reflexes to recognize include:
The asymmetric tonic neck reflex is often referred to as the fencing posture. It is not to be confused with thefencing response, which happens after a severe brain injury and requires immediate treatment.
Causes of Ongoing Tonic Neck Reflex as Children Age
Children who still have the tonic neck reflex may experience difficulty with the following actions:
Causes of Missing Tonic Neck Reflex
However, if your child’s healthcare provider cannot observe this reflex, they will recommend further testing to determine the cause. Babies born without certain reflexes may have experienced an injury or infection.
Questions to Ask a Pediatrician
Tonic Neck Reflex and ADHDChildren who continue to demonstrate the tonic neck reflex after 9 months of age may be at higher risk of developingattention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD). Research shows that a persistent tonic neck reflex is closely linked with ADHD symptoms and can be a sign of delayed development.
Tonic Neck Reflex and ADHD
Children who continue to demonstrate the tonic neck reflex after 9 months of age may be at higher risk of developingattention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD). Research shows that a persistent tonic neck reflex is closely linked with ADHD symptoms and can be a sign of delayed development.
Summary
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Konicarova J, Bob P.Asymmetric tonic neck reflex and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children.Int J Neurosci. 2013;123(11):766-769. doi:10.3109/00207454.2013.801471American Academy of Pediatrics.Newborn reflexes.MedlinePlus.Infant reflexes.Roe KL, Giordano KR, Ezzell GA, Lifshitz J.Public awareness of the fencing response as an indicator of traumatic brain injury: quantitative study of Twitter and Wikipedia data.JMIR Form Res. 2023;7:e39061. doi:10.2196/39061Gieysztor EZ, Choińska AM, Paprocka-Borowicz M.Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):167-173. doi:10.5114/aoms.2016.60503
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Konicarova J, Bob P.Asymmetric tonic neck reflex and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children.Int J Neurosci. 2013;123(11):766-769. doi:10.3109/00207454.2013.801471American Academy of Pediatrics.Newborn reflexes.MedlinePlus.Infant reflexes.Roe KL, Giordano KR, Ezzell GA, Lifshitz J.Public awareness of the fencing response as an indicator of traumatic brain injury: quantitative study of Twitter and Wikipedia data.JMIR Form Res. 2023;7:e39061. doi:10.2196/39061Gieysztor EZ, Choińska AM, Paprocka-Borowicz M.Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):167-173. doi:10.5114/aoms.2016.60503
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Konicarova J, Bob P.Asymmetric tonic neck reflex and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children.Int J Neurosci. 2013;123(11):766-769. doi:10.3109/00207454.2013.801471American Academy of Pediatrics.Newborn reflexes.MedlinePlus.Infant reflexes.Roe KL, Giordano KR, Ezzell GA, Lifshitz J.Public awareness of the fencing response as an indicator of traumatic brain injury: quantitative study of Twitter and Wikipedia data.JMIR Form Res. 2023;7:e39061. doi:10.2196/39061Gieysztor EZ, Choińska AM, Paprocka-Borowicz M.Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):167-173. doi:10.5114/aoms.2016.60503
Konicarova J, Bob P.Asymmetric tonic neck reflex and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children.Int J Neurosci. 2013;123(11):766-769. doi:10.3109/00207454.2013.801471
American Academy of Pediatrics.Newborn reflexes.
MedlinePlus.Infant reflexes.
Roe KL, Giordano KR, Ezzell GA, Lifshitz J.Public awareness of the fencing response as an indicator of traumatic brain injury: quantitative study of Twitter and Wikipedia data.JMIR Form Res. 2023;7:e39061. doi:10.2196/39061
Gieysztor EZ, Choińska AM, Paprocka-Borowicz M.Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children.Arch Med Sci. 2018;14(1):167-173. doi:10.5114/aoms.2016.60503
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