Typical Full-Term Newborn Baby (40 weeks gestation) |
YES | NO | ||
TYPICAL NEWBORN MOUTH/FEEDING DEVELOPMENT | ||||
Has a closed mouth & easy nose breathing when resting/sleeping (nothing in mouth) | ||||
Rests tongue in the roof of the mouth to maintain broad palate shape | ||||
Is free of tongue, lip, and/or cheek ties | ||||
Moves tongue toward the side of touch (transverse tongue reflex) | ||||
Gags when back ½ of tongue stimulated (gag reflex) | ||||
Has a full set of sucking/fat pads in cheeks | ||||
Opens mouth, closes eyes, & moves head forward when base of palm pressed (Babkin reflex) | ||||
Roots when cheeks/lips stimulated leading to suck (rooting reflex) | ||||
Has good sucking, swallowing, & breathing coordination | ||||
Uses anterior tongue reflex to grasp & pull breast into mouth | ||||
Breastfeeds with breast drawn deeply into mouth & good lip seal | ||||
Sucks & swallows breast milk or formula approximately 1 per second (swallowing reflex) | ||||
Bottle-feeds with body upright at a 45+ degree angle to the horizon (ear above mouth) | ||||
Bottle-feeds using paced, baby-led, bottle-feeding | ||||
Cups/Grooves tongue when feeding (different on breast than bottle) | ||||
Latches lips properly on breast or bottle (different on breast than bottle) | ||||
Tightens grasp on finger during sucking (grasp reflex) | ||||
Moves lower lip out for latch when palm touched (palmomental reflex) | ||||
Mouths own hands & fingers near front of mouth | ||||
Suckles hands & fingers approximately 2 per second (non-nutritive suckling reflex) | ||||
Has rhythmic biting pattern when gums stimulated (phasic bite reflex) | ||||
TYPICAL NEWBORN BODY DEVELOPMENT |
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When Held Upright |
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Lifts & holds head up in line with body for a few seconds (birth to 1 month) | ||||
When on the Stomach |
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Rests head to one side or other on cheek | ||||
Can bring hand to mouth on side to which head is turned | ||||
Can lift & turn head using head, neck, & lower spine lifting muscles | ||||
Has elbows bent & lifted with hands close to shoulders at rest | ||||
Has knees & ankles bent at rest | ||||
Shifts weight toward shoulders as hips are lifted allowing head to lift & turn | ||||
Moves legs more than the arms | ||||
Moves legs in thrusting or crawling motion (birth to 1 month) | ||||
When Turning Head & Body to Each Side |
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Turns body to the side of head-turn from lying on the back (full head-turn; log roll) | ||||
Roots to stimulate head/body turning toward breast or bottle in side-lying | ||||
When on the Back |
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At rest, usually has arms & legs close to body with a small head-turn, as well as knees & thighs in the air with feet resting on a surface | ||||
When moving, straightens arms & opens hands or bends arms & closes hands, as well as kicks legs energetically & rhythmically | ||||
Bends body, arms, & legs at the same time (birth to 1 month); straightens body & tries to straighten arms & legs (birth to 1 month, tonic labyrinthine reflex) | ||||
Closes hand around adult’s finger or object (grasp reflex), & can bring hand to mouth on side where the head is turned | ||||
Turns body with head (when head turns fully) to the side of head turn (log roll) | ||||
Roots to stimulate head/body turning toward breast or bottle, & can move head down, up, & sideways to adjust head position | ||||
Uses vision best with head & neck supported, & follows objects with eyes from side to middle of body at 8 to 9 inches distance | ||||
Seems to move arms with eye gaze (possible beginning of eye-hand organization), & visually prefers strong contrast black & white patterns | ||||
Arms, legs, hands, & head extend, quick breath, then arms come together with hands closed & loud cry with abrupt changes in head position & unexpected environmental changes causing increased heart/breathing rate & blood pressure (moro/startle reflex) | ||||
Moves arm & leg outward on the side toward the baby’s head turn; arm & leg on the other side of the body bend at the knee & elbow (asymmetric tonic neck reflex) |
Primary References
•Bahr, D. (2018). Feed your baby and toddler right: Early eating and drinking skills encourage the best development. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.
•Bahr, D. C., & Hillis, A. E. (2001). Neurological and anatomical bases. In D. C. Bahr Oral motor assessment and treatment: Ages and stages (pp. 1-41). USA: Pearson College Division.
•Bly, L. (1994). Motor skills acquisition in the first year: An illustrated guide to normal development. USA: Psychological Corp.
•Feldenkrais, M. (1972). Awareness through movement (Vol. 1977). New York: Harper and Row.
•Morris, S. E., & Klein, M. D. (2000). Pre-Feeding skills: A comprehensive resource for mealtime development. (2nd ed.)
. San Antonio, TX: Therapy Skill Builders.
•Neuro Restart (2019). Primitive reflexes. Retrieved from http://www.neurorestart.co.uk/primitive-reflexes/
•Vulpe, S. G. (1994). Vulpe assessment battery-revised: Developmental assessment, performance analysis, individualized programming for the atypical child. East Aurora, NY: Slosson Educational Publications.