Infancy and Childhood

The flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to growth, maturation, and development during infancy and childhood.

Growth

An increase in size of the whole body or parts of the body, dominating the first 20 years of life.

Maturation

The process of becoming mature or achieving a mature biological state across all organs and systems.

Development

Biological and behavioral growth; biological refers to stem cells into functional systems, whereas behavioral refers to competence in motor skills and social behaviors.

Chronological Age

The actual number of years a person has lived.

Biological Age

The age assessed by biological maturation rather than chronological years.

Infancy

The first year of life characterized by rapid growth.

Adolescence

The developmental stage from about 10-18 years, with highly variable onset and termination.

Ductus Arteriosus

A vessel connecting the pulmonary artery to the aorta that allows blood to bypass the lungs in the fetus.

Foramen Ovale

A one-way opening in the septum of the heart that allows blood to bypass the right ventricle in the fetus.

Thermoregulation

The ability to maintain core internal temperature in the body despite external temperature changes.

Myotome

A group of muscles that a single spinal nerve innervates.

Surfactant

A substance that reduces surface tension in the lungs, crucial for breathing at birth.

Heart Rate (HR)

The number of times the heart beats per minute; varies significantly between infants/children and adults.

Stroke Volume (SV)

The volume of blood ejected from the left ventricle during each contraction.

Cardiac Output (CO)

The amount of blood pumped by the heart in one minute, calculated as SV multiplied by HR.