Question

The new parent holds the two-week-old neonate erect with the feet touching the tabletop. The baby responds by flexing and extending the legs. The parent says to the nurse, "Look my baby is trying to walk!" Which response, if made by the nurse to the parent, is best?

Answer 1

The stepping reflex is a motor reflex seen in newborns which makes them appear as if they're trying to walk, but it's not intentional. It usually disappears in about two months.

Step-by-step explanation:

The behavior you are witnessing in your neonate, where they are flexing and extending their legs when feet are touching the tabletop, is a primitive reflex called the Stepping Reflex. This reflex is often mistaken for a sign that the child is trying to walk. However, this is not a sign of intentional walking, but a motor reflex that disappears within two months after birth. The disappearance of these reflexes are always replaced by the child's voluntary movements.

Learn more about Stepping Reflex