Infancy Flashcards
Differentiation
the process by which behaviors and physical structures become specialized
Failure to Thrive (FTT)
a disorder of infancy and early childhood characterized by variable eating and inadequate gains in weight
Canalization
the tendency of growth rates to return to normal after undergoing environmentally induced change
Micronutrients
nutrients required in small doses, such as vitamins and mineral that are required for physical growth
Macronutrients
nutrients required in large quantities, such as protein, carbohydrates and fat, that are responsible for physical growth
Palmar Grasp
grasping objects between the fingers and the palm
Pincer Grasp
grasping objects between the finger and thumb
Habituation
becoming used to a stimulus and therefore paying less attention to it
Schema
a mental structure that categorizes information based on similarity
Assimilation
new information is added to an existing schema
Accommodation
new information must be modified to fit an existing schema as new information is acquired
Primary Circular Reactions
the repetition of actions that first occurred by chance and that focus on the infant’s own body
Secondary Circular Reactions
the repetition of actions that produce an effect on the environment
Tertiary Circular Reactions
the purposeful adaptation of established schemas to new situations
Object Permanence
recognition that objects continue to exist when they are not in view
Deferred Imitation
imitation of a behavior that was seen earlier
Visual Recognition Memory
the kind of memory shown in infant’s ability to discriminate previously seen objects from novel objects
What are the physical changes of babies in infancy?
apart from prenatal development, the period with the greatest physical changes
babies grow 25 to 30 cm and triple their body weight in the first year, follows increased sleeping time, growth spurts overnight
failure to thrive syndrome: hard time gaining weight
canalization: after a period of non-growth they catch up quickly
differentiation: physical reactions become less global and more specific
What does brain development look like in infancy?
synaptogenesis: happens in spurts
brain is less efficient, but has greater plasticity
reflexes aren’t as quick because of less myelination
synaptic pruning: “use it or lose it”, if connections aren’t made they will never develop
What does sleep look like in infancy?
states of consciousness (cyclical): deep sleep, lighter sleep, awake, fussiness, drowsiness
by 6 months develops clearer nighttime sleep and napping patterns
cultural differences: western cultures focused on babies sleeping through the night, other cultures don’t enforce it
How do bones develop throughout infancy?
change in size, number and composition
How do muscles develop throughout infancy?
high ratio of water at birth, high proportion of fat in newborns
How do lungs develop throughout infancy?
increase in efficiency
How do heart develop throughout infancy?
increase in muscle strength