A 7-month-old infant is brought for routine immunization. On examination, the Moro reflex is still elicitable. The infant otherwise appears normal. What does the persistence of this reflex indicate?

• A Normal variant, no significance
• B Suggests central nervous system abnormality ✓
• C Indicates congenital hearing loss
• D Suggests visual impairment

Explanation

The Moro reflex normally disappears by 4 to 6 months of age. Persistence beyond 6 months is abnormal and suggests central nervous system dysfunction, such as cerebral palsy or developmental delay. A normal variant would not explain its presence at 7 months. Hearing loss and visual impairment do not affect primitive reflex disappearance.

Reference: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 21st ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.