PSY 2410 Chapter 5

They lose several ounces in the first 3 days, then gain an ounce a day for months. On avg. birthweight doubles by 4 months and triples by a year, and grows 10 inches by age 1

Smallest newborns growing very fast, doubling their weight in 2 months

An indicator of how one person compares to another of the same age. In the 30th percentile, 30% are at the same level (ex. weight) or less

Typical brain maturation, learning, emotion regulation, academic success, and psychological adjustment.

15-17 hours a day, but each month brings longer night sleep and less daytime napping

Sleep stage characterized by flickering eyes behind closed lids, dreaming, and rapid brain waves.

They often dream/REM sleep. Over the early weeks, REM decreases, and by 4 months, quiet sleep (slow-wave) sleep increases markedly

A custom in which parents and their children (usually infants) sleep together in the same room

When two or more people sleep in the same bed (infant sleeps beside parents)

Poverty (separate bedrooms are a luxury), cohort (younger parents are more likely to bed share), diet (frequent breastfeeding), quick responding

Increases risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID)

Growth is more rapid than any other organ, 25% of adult weight at birth to 75% at age 2, head-sparing

A biological mechanism that protects the brain when malnutrition disrupts body growth. The brain is the last part of the body to be damaged by malnutrition

One of billions of nerve cells in the central nervous system, especially in the brain. Has one axon and numerous dendrites

A fiber that extends from a neuron and transmits electrochemical impulses from that neuron to the dendrites of other neurons

A fiber that extends from a neuron and receives electrochemical impulses transmitted from other neurons via their axons. Infant brain growth is due to increases in this

The intersection between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of other neurons. Critical communication links within the brain

A brain chemical that carries information from the axon of a sending neuron to the dendrites of a receiving neuron

The coating on axons that speeds the transmission os signals from one neuron to another. Increases over infancy and childhood

The outer layers of the brain in humans and other mammals. Most thinking, feeling, and sensing involves this

Contains about 70% of all neurons and has two halves and four lobes (parietal, temporal (2), and occipital). Each area has a distinct function, but thousands of connections transmit information among the parts

The area of the cortex at the very front of the brain that specializes in anticipation, planning, and impulse control. Immature in childhood

The parts of the brain that interact to produce emotions, including the amygdala, the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, and the pituitary. Other parts of the brain are also involved with emotions

A tiny (almond size/shape) brain structure that registers strong emotions, particularly fear and anxiety

A brain structure that is a central processor of memory, especially memory for locations. It responds to the amygdala by summoning memory

A brain area that responds to the amygdala and the hippocampus to produce hormones that activate other parts of the brain and body, especially cortisol

A gland in the brain that responds to a signal from the hypothalamus by producing many hormones, including those that regulate growth and that control other glands, among them the adrenal and sex glands

Contain far more neurons than necessary, some disappear in programmed cell death, which is counterbalanced by gains like in dendrites at a faster than later

The great but temporary increase in the number of dendrites that develop in an infant's brain during the first two years of life

In brain development, the process by which unused connections in the brain atrophy and die

Dendrites are too dense and long, making thinking difficult. Occurs in fragile X syndrome and autism

Brain functions that require certain basic common experiences (which an infant can be expected to have) in order to develop normally (brains expect basic experiences and are impeded without them)

Brain functions that depend on particular, variable experiences and therefore may or may not develop in a particular infant

Stimulation (sights, sounds, emotional expressions, and social interactions that encourage movement

Derailed brain connections causing odd responses to stress lifelong. Years later can cause hypervigilance or flat emotions

Occasional pain (routine shots, temporary hunger, unwanted bath/diaper change) infants can handle. Intense and frequent fear can flood the brain with cortisol

A life-threatening injury that occurs when an infant is forcefully shaken back and forth, a motion that ruptures blood vessels in the brain and breaks neural connections

Immature motor abilities and acute sensory awareness (perception comes later)

Occurs when a sensory system detects a stimulus. Begins when an outer organ meets anything that can be sensed (seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched)

Requires brain recognition

At birth, sounds trigger reflexes, even without perception; familiar, rhythmic sounds are soothing; infant distress is reduced with singing

Vision is immature at birth; newborns are legally blind; by 6 weeks, babies focus on people's eyes; newborns use their eyes independently until about 13 weeks

The ability to focus the two eyes in a coordinated manner in order to see one image, it is impossible in the womb and occurs at around 13 weeks old

By two months they stare at faces and use perception to smile at people, read emotions, follow other people's eye movement, and use their own eyes to communicate. Vision allowed motor skills development

By 18 months, they can scan a path to decide whether a slope is safe to cross upright or better to sit/crawl.

These senses adapt rapidly to the social context. Families pass on these preferences, and variations occur because of early experience. Some preferences are universal.

Gentle touch is effective for newborns and infants (wrapping, rubbing, massaging, cradling); pain and temp are connected to touchl; measuring infant pain is a challenge

The learned abilities to move some part of the body in actions ranging from a large leap to a flicker of the eyelid. They begin with reflexes

Physical abilities involving large body movements, such as walking and jumping. Emerges from reflexes and proceeds in a cephalocaudal and proximodistal direction

Physical abilities involving small body movements, especially of the hands and fingers, such as drawing and picking up a coin

First 2 months, infants wave their arms around, by 3 months they can touch objects, by 4 months they sometimes grab and touch, and by 6 months most can reach, grab, and grasp almost any object. Eventually, they master the pincer movement and self-feeding (between end of year one and throughout year two)

Development of motor skills varies due to different cultures, either encouraging or discouraging skills like walking

The rest of development is affected

This has dramatically reduced to 1 in 33, but reported data varies by source, as some places do not counteport newborn deaths. Most occur in the first month.

Human milk is more digestible, is sterile, and contains unknown nutrients; allergies and asthma are less common; adulthood rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are lower

A thick, high-calorie, high-vitamin fluid secreted by the breasts at birth, only for about 2-3 days. Can save infant lives, especially preterm infants

Adjusts to the age of the baby and quantity increases to meet demand

Recommended with no other foods/liquids for the first months of life, then around 6 months, food can begin being introduced

When a child does not grow to their expected height (two or more standard deviations below age norms)

When a person is severely underweight (two or more standard deviations below age norms)

Affects body and brain growth in young children and can cause stunting and/or wasting.

Impaired learning, diseases are more serious, some diseases result directly from this (marasmus, kwashiorkor), and usual childhood joys are diminished (low energy and increased depression of hunger)

Occurs in some nations, frequent in Africa, and is caused by high birth rates, limited family planning, and climate change

A situation in which a seemingly healthy infant, usually between 2-6 months, suddenly stops breathing and dies unexpectedly while asleep.

Stomach sleeping, LBW, winter, being male, cigarette smoke, soft blankets/pillows, crib bumpers, respiratory infections, and physical malformations

A process that stimulates the body's immune system by causing production of antibodies to defend against attack by a particular contagious disease. Creation of antibodies can be accomplished by having the disease, injection, drops that are swallowed, or nasal spray

Temporary sickness, deafness, blindness, sterility, and meningitis.

The level of immunity necessary in a population in order to stop the transmission of infectious diseases. The rate is usually above 90% and higher for very infectious diseases. Requires widespread infection