Infancy: Physical DevelopmentPatterns of GrowthHeight and Weight in InfancyThe First YearThe BrainSlide 6Neural Development (Nature) and Experience (Nurture)Slide 8Slide 9Developmental Psych in real lifeSlide 11SleepSlide 13SIDS - FindingsSIDS - recommendationsNutrition: BreastfeedingBottle FeedingNutritional NeedsMotor DevelopmentDynamic Systems TheoryReflexesGross Motor SkillsGross Motor Development in the Second YearPowerPoint PresentationFine Motor SkillsStudying the Infant’s PerceptionPerception of Pattern and DepthDeveloping SensesVisual Acuity During the First Months of LifeInfant responses to tastesVisual CliffInfancy: Physical DevelopmentPatterns of Growth•Cephalocaudal -- sequence in which the earliest growth always occurs at the top, beginning with the head•Proximodistal -- sequence in which growth starts at the center of the body and moves toward the extremitiesHeight and Weight in Infancy•Average Weight: The average American newborn is 20 inches long and weighs 7.5 pounds•Typical Range: •18-22 inches long•5 and 10 pounds•Grow about 3/4 inch per month during the first year•By 2 years of age•26-32 pounds•32-35 inches in heightThe First Year•First Weeks•Most newborns lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight adjusting to feeding•First Year•They double their birth weight by the age of 4 months• nearly triple it by their first birthdayThe Brain•Cerebral cortex covers the forebrain like a wrinkled cap•Two hemispheres, based on ridges and valleys in the cortex•Four main areas, lobes, in each hemisphere•Lateralization -- specialization of function in one hemisphere or the otherThe Brain•Changes in neurons•Myelination•Connectivity among neurons increasesNeural Development (Nature) and Experience (Nurture)•Pruning: process whereby little-used neural connections are eliminated•Those that remain become more organized, strengthened•“use it or lose it” principle:•Only the connections that are most frequently used and most adaptive to environment surviveKEY: Early experiences are extremely importantThe Brain•Changes in regions of the brain•Blooming and pruning vary by brain region•Peak of synaptic overproduction in the visual cortex followed by a gradual retraction•Heredity and environment influence the timing and courseThe Brain•Neuroconstructivist view:•Both biological processes and environmental conditions influence the brain’s development•Brain has plasticity and is context dependent•Development of the brain and the child's cognitive development are closely linkedDevelopmental Psych in real lifeShaken Baby Syndrome or Abusive Head Trauma•What is it? •Shaking the baby, even for only 5-10 seconds can cause serious injury•Most common around 4 months of age when crying is at peak•Incidence?•1,300 children suffered severe or fatal abusive head traumaKeenen, et al., 2004Developmental Psych in real lifeShaken Baby Syndrome or Abusive Head Trauma•Result? •If not fatal can result in developmental delay, paralysis, retinal damage, learning disorders, seizures•Prevention?•Carry and talk to baby•Put baby down and take a break•Understand causes of cryingKeenen, et al., 20043-12Sleep•Typical newborn sleeps 16 to 17 hours a day•Infant sleep-related problem• Night-time waking •REM sleep – rapid eye movement sleep•Infants spend about half of their sleep time in REM sleep3-13Sleep•Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): Occurs when an infant stops breathing, usually at night•Suddenly dies without an apparent cause3-14SIDS - Findings•Occurs mostly in infants with abnormal brain stem functioning involving serotonin •More likely to occur:•In low birth weight infants•In African American and Eskimo infants•In infants passively exposed to cigarette smoke•When infants and parents share the same bed•When infants sleep in a bedroom without a fanSIDS - recommendationsNutrition: BreastfeedingBreast milk almost always the best food•More digestible•Lowered risk of obesity•Reduces allergic reactions•Minimizes numerous infections•May reduce risk of SIDS•Better cognitive performance•Recommendation is babies exclusively breastfeed for 6 monthsBottle Feeding•Formula should be iron-fortified•Necessary for women with infectious illnesses or taking drugs or meds that could harm infant•Does NOT reduce emotional bonding between mother and babyBreast feedinghttp://vad2.mhhe.com/CAP/1708_640x480_CAP.mpgNutritional Needs•Nutritionists recommend that infants consume approximately 50 calories per day for each pound they weigh•More than twice an adult’s requirement per pound•Many U.S. parents are feeding their 4- to 24-month-old babies too few fruits and vegetables, and too much junk food (c) 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.3-19Motor DevelopmentDynamic Systems Theory•Infants assemble motor skills for perceiving and acting•Perception and action are coupled together•Understanding the environment•Motor skill is developed by:•Development of the nervous system•Body’s physical properties and its possibilities for movement•Goal the child is motivated to reach•Environmental support for the skillReflexes•Infants enter the world with biologically based behaviors•Does not require conscious effort•Survival reflexes•Behaviors that ensure survival; obvious physical uses•Primitive Reflexes•Behaviors without immediate survival value•May have had survival value in evolutionary pastGross Motor Skills•Skills that involve large-muscle activities•Sitting with support -- 2 months•Sitting upright without support -- 6 to 7 months of age•Pull themselves up and hold on to a chair -- 8 months•Stand alone – 10 to 12 monthsGross Motor Development in the Second Year •13–18 months •can pull a toy or climb up a few steps•18–24 months•toddlers can walk quickly or run stiffly •walk backwards without losing their balance •stand and kick a ball without falling and stand and throw a ball•jump in placeFine Motor Skills•Anything that requires finger dexterity •Infants need to exercise their fine motor skills •Pincer grip•During the first two years of life, infants refine how they reach and grasp•Perceptual-motor coupling is necessary for the infant to coordinate grasping•Experience plays a role in reaching and graspingStudying the Infant’s Perception•Visual Preference Method•Infants look at different things for different