The rooting reflex is a primitive reflex seen among human infants and many non-human mammals. By "primitive reflexes," people mean reflexes that originate in the central nervous system and are suppressed over time. Babies are born with several of those reflexes that are designed to give them a head start in life and ensure they can survive. In the case of the rooting reflex, the reflex helps the baby find food.
This reflex first appears in utero and can persist for up to a year after birth. When the baby's cheek or mouth is touched, the baby will turn his head towards the sensation, working the mouth at the same time. The rooting reflex helps the baby latch on to the breast or bottle. This reflex is usually very strong and persistent, and if a baby is unable to demonstrate the rooting reflex or other primitive reflexes, it may be a sign that something is wrong.
The rooting reflex sometimes confuses people, because every time a new baby's cheek or mouth is touched, he or she will respond by turning and opening their mouth. This can make it appear that the baby is hungry when this is not really the case. The baby will also suck on things, due to the sucking reflex, and this can also be mistaken for a hunger signal.
This primitive reflex is sometimes called the seeking reflex, because the baby is searching for the point of contact that he has just experienced. Other examples of primitive reflexes include the grasping reflex, which many people may have noticed when interacting with infants, because infants tend to grab objects that are within their reach. The startle reaction or the Moro reflex, the walking reflex, and the Galant reflex are other types of primitive reflexes seen in infants.
During normal childhood development, primitive reflexes eventually disappear. If they persist, it may be indicative of a developmental delay, and the child should be evaluated by a specialist. Primitive reflexes can also recur following brain injury. When they do, it indicates that the part of the brain that normally suppresses these reflexes is no longer active or is no longer functioning normally. A neurologist may test a patient to learn more about what reflexes they are expressing. This information can be used to gather information about the condition of the patient's brain and to determine the precise location of the lesion.