Chapter 5 Infant Physical Development

Question 1

Differentiation

Answer 1

Tendency of behavior to become more specific and distinct

Question 2

Failure to Thrive

Answer 2

A disorder of impaired growth in infancy and early childhood characterized by failure to gain weight within normal limits.

Question 3

Marasmus

Answer 3

A wasted, potentially lethal body condition caused by inadequate nutrition and characterized by painful thinness

Question 4

Canalization

Answer 4

Catch up growth once FTT is resolved

Question 5

Kwashiorkor

Answer 5

A severe form of malnutrition where infants do not get enough protein or other essential nutrients in their diet

Question 6

Nerves

Answer 6

A whitish fiber or bundle of fibers that transmits impulses of sensation to the brain or spinal cord

Question 7

Neurons

Answer 7

A nerve cell; the building block of the nervous system

Question 8

Dendrites

Answer 8

Are short fibers that extend from the cell body and receive incoming messages from thousands of adjoining transmitting neurons

Question 9

Axon

Answer 9

A long, thin part of a neuron that transmits impulses to other neurons through small branching structures called axon terminals

Question 10

neurotransmitter

Answer 10

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons

Question 11

Myelin sheath

Answer 11

A fatty substance that surrounds the axon. Acts as an insulator and allows neural impulses to travel quickly

Question 12

Myelination

Answer 12

Refers to the process by which axons become coated with myelin.

Question 13

Multiple sclerosis

Answer 13

A disease where the immune system eats away at the protective covering of the nerves

Question 14

Medulla

Answer 14

The inner region of an organ or tissues especially when it is distinguishable from the outer region or cortex

Question 15

Cerebellum

Answer 15

Brain structure involved in balance and motor control

Question 16

Cerebrum

Answer 16

Brain structure composed of the left and right hemisphere and responsible for the complex cognitions that make us human, such as learning, memory, and language

Question 17

Ulnar grasp

Answer 17

A method of grasping objects in which the fingers close somewhat clumsily against the palm

Question 18

Pincer grasp

Answer 18

refers to using the forefinger and the thumb to pinch or grasp an object; this is an important fine motor skill as it is used for feeding

Question 19

Locomotion

Answer 19

the movement from one place to another. Children gain the capacity to move their bodies through a sequence of activities which includes: rolling over, sitting up, creeping, crawling, crawling, walking, and running.

Question 20

Sensation

Answer 20

the stimulation of sensory organs (eyes, ears, skin) and the transmission of sensory information to the brain.

Question 21

Perception

Answer 21

The process by which sensations
are organized into a mental map of the world.

Question 22

Perceptual constancy

Answer 22

The tendency to perceive an object as the same, even though the
sensations provided by the object may differ under various conditions

Question 23

Size constancy

Answer 23

The tendency to perceive objects as being the same size even though the sizes of their images on the retina may differ as a result of distance

Question 24

Size constancy

Answer 24

The tendency to perceive objects as being the same size even though the sizes of their images on the retina may differ as a result of distance

Question 25

Shape constancy

Answer 25

The tendency to perceive objects as being the same shape even though the shapes of their images on the retina may differ when the objects are viewed from different positions

Question 26

Habituation

Answer 26

The diminishing of a physiological or emotional response to a frequent repeated stimulus

Question 27

Name the three sequences of physical growth and development during infancy

Answer 27

1) Cephalocaudal Development: Development proceeds from the head to the lower parts of the body. Cephalocaudal development gives the brain an opportunity to participate more fully in subsequent developments. EXAMPLE: Infants gain control of their hands and upper body before they gain control of their lower body.
2) Proximodistal Development: Development proceeds from the trunk or central axis of the body outward. EXAMPLE: Infants gain control over their shoulders before their arms, hands, and fingers.
3) Differentiation: The process by which behaviors and physical structures become more specialized. EXAMPLE: If an infant burns their finger, they may pull their hand away and cry. If an adult burns their finger they will most likely pull their finger away, but not cry.