Nutrition in the Life Stages - Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Nutrition in the Life Stages lecture notes.

Infancy

The period from birth to one year, characterized by rapid changes in physical growth, development, and maturation of oral, fine, and motor skills.

Full-term infant

Born between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation

Preterm infant

Born before 37 weeks of gestation.

Low birth weight (LBW)

Born with a birth weight of 2.5 kg or below.

Very low birth weight (VLBW)

An infant weighing <1500 g at birth.

Extremely low birthweight (ELBW)

An infant weighing less than 1000 g at birth.

Physiologic Jaundice

Develops 3-4 days after birth due to breakdown of fetal erythrocytes and limited liver function; severe cases can lead to Kernicterus.

First 1000 Days of Life

The period between conception until the child’s 2nd birthday, considered a crucial window for optimal development.

Rooting reflex

Reflex when something touches their cheek, leading to suckling.

Complementary food

Teaching a baby to bite, chew, and swallow foods; not just to give nutrition.

Casein vs. Whey

Proteins in milk; human milk has a whey-to-casein ratio of 60:40, while cow's milk is 20:80.

Myelination

The process where myelin forms around the axons, enabling faster nerve cell transmission and more complex brain processes.

Food Jags

Eating too little and a very limited number of foods.

Dawdling

The child plays with the food during mealtimes.

Gagging

The child feels like vomiting.

Diarrhea

Stools contain more water than normal and are not well formed

Dysentery

More Severe than diarrhea where the stools contain blood; may lead to dehydration and undernutrition if uncontrolled.

Constipation

Difficulty of emptying the bowel due to poor muscle contraction in the GI tract and/ or lack of fluids to facilitate excretion

Food allergy

Adverse body reaction after intake of certain foods

Lactose intolerance

Deficiency in lactase.

Dental caries

Dentin and the enamel is infected by cariogenic microorganisms

Intestinal parasitism

Occurs from ingestion of parasites and/or its egg from infected food, vegetables, or soil

School age or Middle Childhood

Spans the age range of 6-12 years old; important period in the formation of attitudes toward food and food habits.