Child Development

Introduction Adults don’t change much in a year of two. Hair will be a little longer, grayer, might gain or lose weight. On contrast, if you cared for a newborn 24 hours a day for a month, went away for two years, and then came back, you might not be able to recognize them because: Quadrupled in weight, grown taller by more than a foot and sprouted hair

Rapid Growth during Infant Years Body Growth of Infants: Average infant weighs 7 ½ pounds Typically double their birth weight by 4th month and triple by their 1st birthday. By 24 months most children weigh almost 30 lbs and are between 32-36 inches. (Much weight that increases in early months is fat, to provide insulation for warmth and a store of nourishment)

Dental Growth • On average, a baby’s first tooth appears at around 6 months. • Some babies begin teething as early as 3 months, and others, after their first birthday. • The lower two middle teeth usually come in first, followed by the upper two middle teeth. • During teething, some babies become fussy, lose their appetite, and drool.

Brain Development • A baby’s brain reaches three-fourths of its adult weight and size by age 2! • Babies are born with somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 and 200 BILLION neurons. • A complex network of neurons will grow rapidly during the first few years of life.

Vision • Within hours after birth, most infants prefer to look at their mother’s face in comparison to other faces. • By 2 and 3 months of age, infants prefer more complex stimuli to simple ones. • In the fist 4 months, infants begin to track moving objects and begin to reach for things. • Between 4 and 8 months, both eyes should focus equally, and eye/body coordination skills improve. • Between 8 and 12 months they use their eyes to judge distances and depth.

Development of Vision

Hearing Development • For most infants, hearing actually started in the womb. • Shortly after birth, they can recognize the sound of their mother’s voice. • By 4 1/2 months, infants can differentiate their name from other word.

Smell and Taste • Most infants have a highly developed sense of smell. • The most common taste preference for infants is sweetness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC-WfUHUBSw

Touch • Touch is a highly developed sense in the youngest infants. • Infant pain can be detected through facial expressions, an increased heart rate, and a difference in the intensity and tone of their crying. • Infants learn a lot of information by using their mouths to feel, and explore their surroundings. • Once they begin crawling, it’s important to make sure that all choking hazards, and unsafe or toxic objects and substances are safely out of baby’s reach.

Reflexes • Reflexes are unlearned, organized, involuntary responses that occur automatically in the presence of certain stimuli. • Rooting reflex - turns head toward things that touch his cheek • Sucking reflex - sucks at things that touch her lips • Gag reflex - clears throat • Swimming reflex - kicks legs and paddles arms in a “swimming” motion if lying face down

• Eye-blink reflex - shuts and opens eyes in response to direct light • Startle reflex - flings out his arms and legs, arches his back, and fans out fingers in response to a sudden or loud noise • Moro reflex – When something startles them, infant flings their arm outward and then bring them together on their chests. • Stepping reflex- When infant are held upright with their feet touching a flat surface, they move their legs to walk. Babinski reflex- when infants feet are stroked, their toes fan upward.

Name that reflex Use the following reflexes and watch the video clips to identify what reflexes the baby is showing: Rooting Sucking Gag Swimming Eye-Blink Startle Moro Stepping Babinski

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xme7kQ3SjB8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2gDofbOjAQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sbFQQYbYLk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTz-iVI2mf4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMC_Retz7ck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7_Y_jg2soc http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=PhOleckx1- Y&feature=fvwp

Gross and Fine Motor • Gross motor skills involve the large muscles of the arms, legs and abdomen. • Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the hands and wrists.

Gross Motor Milestones o 3 months - raise their head and chest when lying on their stomach o 6 months - roll from their stomach to their back o Between 6 and 7 months- sit without support o Between 8 and 10 months – crawl o 9 months - pull themselves up to stand with support o 11 months - stand alone without assistance 12 months – walk, first with support then on their own

Fine Motor Milestones o 3 months - coordination of hands, grasp objects o 8 months - pincer grasp o 11 months - grasp a crayon and “draw”

How does a baby compare? Compare the development of the child using norms or percentiles. A child who is average is at the 50th percentile Percentiles allow a child's growth to be compared not only with that of other children, but also with his or her own prior development.

What should My Infant be able to do?? Make a timeline for the physical development of an infant in their first year. Include 1-2 developments for each month You can use information discussed in class as well as Developing Child book to fill out your timeline. http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/96066

Is My Baby OK? Parents often wonder what is typical/ atypical behavior. Today we are going to classify typical and atypical behaviors.