After birth, your baby will have a U1 examination and then a U2 examination a little later. During this examination, a number of reflexes are tested that are crucial for determining whether your baby is healthy. At the U3 examination at the latest, the pediatrician will then test your baby's so-called crying reflex. But what exactly is the crying reflex? What is it for, when does it occur in your child's life and what happens if it doesn't occur? You can find out all this and more in the following article.
Crying reflex in babies: just one of many reflexes
When babies are born, they are already equipped with a whole range of innate reflexes. They are triggered by certain touches or in certain situations and follow an innate pattern unconsciously, without the involvement of the cerebrum. Nature has arranged it this way because the reflexes ensure the baby's survival - and some of them make perfect sense from an evolutionary point of view.
One example is the Moro reflex: in this "clasp reflex", the baby suddenly and abruptly stretches its arms and legs and then quickly pulls them back towards itself (clasp hold). It often occurs with loud noises or sudden movements. The evolutionary reason behind this: It is assumed that the reflex served to ensure that a newborn clings to its mother with all its strength in the event of imminent danger in order to seek protection.
But what about the cry reflex? What is its function and purpose in evolutionary terms?
The crying reflex briefly explained
The cry reflex is an early infant motor reflex that is triggered when your baby is held up under the armpits and brought into an upright position. When the feet feel a firm surface, your baby simply seems to want to start walking. The little legs make a step-like movement.
The reflex already develops in the early stages of your pregnancy. You will also notice it during pregnancy when your little one draws attention to itself by occasionally kicking.
The reflex is one of the early infant reflexes - this means that it usually subsides after around two to three months of life. The crying reflex is therefore usually checked at the U3 check-up with your pediatrician. In other words, between the 4th and 6th week of life.
What is the function of the cry reflex?
Due to the fact that the crying reflex disappears so early in your baby's life, it is not associated with learning to walk upright. This is because your child only learns to walk on two legs much later in life. This is a complex, multi-sensory controlled and, above all, voluntary process. The crying reflex, on the other hand, is triggered by the baby's particular posture and is a physical reflex - completely without any action on the part of your little one. This is why this reflex is also reproducible. This means that it is not subject to a learning process, which is why the crying reflex is not considered to have a significant postnatal function.
Experts are not entirely sure what the benefits of early childhood reflexes in general and the cry reflex in particular are. It is assumed that the main significance lies in promoting brain maturation and the development of leg muscles. This is why the crying reflex is already noticeable in the womb as soon as the sole of your baby's foot touches the wall of the womb. It is also assumed that the crying reflex plays a special role in assuming the correct birth position. The reflexive kicking makes it easier for your baby to reach the correct position - namely with the head down - in the womb.
What happens if the crying reflex does not occur?
As already mentioned, the pediatrician will check whether the cry reflex is present during the U3. However, there is no need to worry if it is absent: as the reflex is of little importance for the postnatal phase, there is hardly any threat to the newborn if it does not start to cry when held upright. However, you should clarify why this reflex does not occur or is only weakly pronounced.
Reasons for a lack of the crying reflex can be
- Abnormal developments in the leg and hip muscles or the functionality of the joints. In this case, an ultrasound with a specialist can help to rule out hip dysplasia, for example
- Malformations in the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system
But once again: it is hardly a cause for concern if your baby only has a weak cry reflex. The pediatrician will usually check other motor or non-motor reflexes in order to be able to make a differential diagnosis - and, if in doubt, advise you to carry out further examinations.
What happens if the crying reflex does not disappear
It can have serious consequences if the crying reflex is not reduced and persists well beyond the natural time of two to three months of life. This is because if a reflex remains, it usually hinders the transition to conscious control of motor processes; for example, the transition to crawling and later to walking upright. The reflex leg movements disrupt the child's learning process for walking.
Experts suspect a connection between the inadequate development of early childhood reflexes and learning and speech disorders as well as abnormal behavior such as ADHD. However, this does not necessarily have to be the case. It is only important that you visit the pediatrician and have it clarified if you still observe the crying reflex in your baby after the 4th or 5th month of life. If your baby was born prematurely, this must also be taken into account. In premature babies, the crying reflex usually disappears a little later.
Crying reflex: a brief summary
In short: the crying reflex is not particularly important in your child's life. It is an early childhood reflex that can already occur in your little one when it is still in the womb. It probably helps your baby to get into the right position for birth. The crying reflex usually disappears in the first few months of life, as it has no major function in further development.
If your baby's crying reflex still occurs in the 4th or 5th month of life, you don't need to worry for the time being. However, it makes sense to clarify this with your doctor.
Reflexes that exist from birth can be very useful. Think of the tongue thrust reflex, which shows you when your baby is ready for complementary food. But even if we can't explain exactly why the crying reflex exists, evolution has certainly thought of something.
