Babinski's reflex

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Treatment

Babinski's reflex

Alternative Names:

Reflex - Babinski's; Extensor plantar reflex

Home Care:

Typically, a person (older than an infant) who has a Babinski's reflex will also have incoordination, weakness, and difficulty with muscle control. Safety is important to prevent the risk of injury. The person may need assistance with activity, and the environment should be kept free of hazards.

Call your health care provider if:

This finding is usually discovered by the health care provider, and the affected person usually is not aware of its presence.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Medical history questions will be asked documenting this reflex in detail.

The physical examination will probably include a complete nervous system (neurologic) examination.

Diagnostic testing may include:

MRI scan of the head or MRI scan of the spine
Angiography of the head
Somatosensory evoked potentials
Lumbar puncture and analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid

Review Date: 2/15/2005
Reviewed By: Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Departments of Anatomy & Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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