For a child older than 1 year or an adult, the normal Babinski response is:

For a child older than 1 year or an adult, the normal Babinski response is:

• A. Great toe dorsiflexion with fanning toes
• B. Plantar flexion
• C. No response
• D. Toe curling

Answer: (B)

With practice, the way the toes respond to stimulation of the sole changes as the nervous system matures. For a child older than one year or an adult, the normal plantar reflex is downward flexion of the toes—that is, they curl downward. A big toe turning upward with the other toes fanning out is the Babinski sign, which suggests an upper motor neuron issue and isn’t normal after the first year. So the correct description of a normal response in someone older than one year is plantar flexion of the toes.

With practice, the way the toes respond to stimulation of the sole changes as the nervous system matures. For a child older than one year or an adult, the normal plantar reflex is downward flexion of the toes—that is, they curl downward. A big toe turning upward with the other toes fanning out is the Babinski sign, which suggests an upper motor neuron issue and isn’t normal after the first year. So the correct description of a normal response in someone older than one year is plantar flexion of the toes.