Startle response

The startle response or reflex is a normal reflex for an infant when he or she is startled or feels like they are falling. The infant will have a "startled" look and the arms will fling out sideways with the palms up and the thumbs flexed. Presence of the startle response in babies older than a few months is abnormal and associated with neurological damage. For more details visit: http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/003293.htm