Lack of reflexes

[Mandika]

My 8yr old daughter doesn't respond when tapping her under the knee cap.  However she displays all other normal reflexes like pulling away when touching something hot or with a thorn ***** etc.  She is generally in perfect health and has no other symptoms of anything else at all.  What could the cause of this be?

[mom2oneB]

I notice this was written a year ago - does your daughter still display lack of patellar reflex?  Has she had any other symptoms, or displayed any motor functioning difficulties, such as being unable to "catch" herself, when going down stairs, or climbing, or standing from a squatting position?

I ask because I've been trying to research this myself.  My 7 y.o. son also displays no reflexes in either knee, but he's had spinal surgery and lumbar punctures for cancer, so my concern was that something happened during one of the LPs.  His onc. isn't concerned, but I'm a mom, so I am!  My main concern is just that he'll be injured during sports or playground activities, because his knee will "give way", when he doesn't expect it (it's happened a couple times, but he caught himself before falling).  Apparently the function they're testing with that reflex is what keeps us from falling when a sudden large weight (like our upper bodies shifting weight) is placed on the quad muscles of the leg.

I'm curious if any such "giving way" has ever occurred with your daughter.  Perhaps it's something they just manage with.  I've heard increased quad muscle strength can guard against falls, in cases like this (in studies done with the elderly, for osteoarthritis).

[abhijeet v ghosh]

hello Mandika,

You are a very very caring MOM. Do not think about this condition as rest of all the things are just fine with your daughter.
Sometimes patellar tap is not seen because children might be holding it.
If you are too keen to see that reflex, you can tell your child to keep her teeth clinched against each other while you do the patellar tap.

I hope you understood.
regards
abhijeet.
Do tell me , once you are done with it.