Stransko Reflex

The Stransky reflex is an unconditioned reflex named after Leo Stransky (1891-1960), an American pediatrician.

This reflex occurs in infants when the posterior wall of the pharynx is irritated and is characterized by simultaneous compression of the larynx and raising of the soft palate. The reflex prevents foreign bodies and liquids from entering the airways.

The Stransky reflex disappears as the child's nervous system matures, usually by 4-5 months. Preservation of the reflex after this age may indicate a delay in neuropsychic development.

Therefore, Stransky reflex testing is widely used by pediatricians to assess the neuromuscular maturity of infants.



The Stransky reflex is a physiological phenomenon that was discovered by the American pediatrician Hezekiah Stransky in 1927. This reflex is that if you press on the skin above the ulnar fossa on the arm, the muscles that are responsible for the movement of the fingers and hand contract.

Stransky discovered this reflex by accident while conducting research on children. He noticed that when he pressed on the cubital fossa, some children experienced contraction of the muscles of the hand and fingers. This discovery was important for the development of pediatrics, as it allowed for a better understanding of the physiology and development of children.

Today, the Stransky reflex is widely used in medicine to diagnose various diseases associated with the nervous system. For example, if this reflex is absent or weak, it may indicate a problem with the nervous system, such as damage to the spinal cord or peripheral nerves.

Overall, the Stran reflex is an important physiological phenomenon that allows us to better understand the development and functioning of the nervous system in children and adults.