Observe whether the child: stretches and spreads their toes when the sole of their foot is stroked (babinski reflex)
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Your child sometimes stretches or fans their toes when the sole of their foot is gently stroked, but the response may be small, brief, or not happen every time.
What you might see
Your child stretches and spreads their toes when the sole of their foot is stroked, showing the babinski reflex described in this item.
What you might see
Your child shows the toe-stretching and spreading response clearly and consistently during gentle foot checks across familiar care routines.
What you might see
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
During a calm diaper change, gently stroke the sole of your child's foot and notice whether the toes stretch and spread.
Try once when your child is relaxed, and look for a brief toe movement rather than a full-body reaction.
Notice whether the response is clearer on one foot, both feet, or only sometimes.
The dataset source and any supporting developmental research.
Stenhaug, B., Ram, N., & Frank, M. C. (2021). The Stanford SHQ: A measure of early developmental milestones.
This item asks parents to observe the infant's babinski reflex when the sole of the foot is stroked.
Zafeiriou, D. I. (2004). Primitive reflexes and postural reactions in the neurodevelopmental examination. Pediatric Neurology, 31(1), 1-8.
Primitive reflexes are commonly observed in early infancy as part of gross motor and neurologic development.
