The spreading (abduction) of a newborn’s arms and fingers (see figure below), followed by strong flexion (adduction) at the shoulder, after a sudden change in head or whole body position. It is assumed to be a labyrinthine reaction, but there is some debate about this as there is about whether the response is symmetrical or asymmetrical in healthy full term newborns. Named after the Slovakian pediatrician Ernst Moro (1874-1951).
