Development and aging

Musculoskeletal system: Changes associated with aging

Changes associated with aging include:
• decrease in bone density
• sarcopenia
• decline in skeletal flexibility and mobility
• joint degeneration

Primitive developmental reflex

Automatic movements performed by an infant without conscious effort in response to a stimulus, typically integrated by early childhood and are a precursor to functional movement

A persistent this is typically indicative of a central nervous system dysfunction

Examples of primitive reflexes

• moro
• placing
• rooting
• sucking
• palmar
• asymmetrical tonic neck

Cardiopulmonary system: Changes associated with aging

Changes associated with aging include:
• thickening of the inner lining of the heart
• decreased cardiac output
• changes in the elastin of the arterial walls
• reduced lung volume

Genitourinary system: Changes associated with aging

Changes associated with aging include:
• smaller bladder capacity
• bladder muscle weakens
• reduced sensation to void
• decline in urethral closure
• changes in sexual organ functioning

Social play

Play occupation that includes:
• interaction with and emotionally relating to others
• behavior and skills to develop and progress through childhood

Corrected age

Age calculation, also referred to as adjusted age, used for premature infants to consider achievement of developmental milestones

Age calculated by subtracting the weeks of prematurity from chronological age

Stage of motor learning: Skill achievement

Stage of motor learning development, occurring between 6–9 months of age

Characterized by:
• high adaptability
• both perceptual learning and increased self-organization
• using action patterns that are orderly and efficient

Gross motor play

Play occupation that involves full body, kinesthetic motor movements (e.g., climbing on a play structure)

Integumentary system: Changes associated with aging

Changes associated with aging include:
• reduced collagen and elastin
• decreased melanin production
• reduced tactile sensitivity
• changes to hair growth, color, and thickness

Nervous system: Changes associated with aging

Changes associated with aging include:
• brain atrophy
• decrease in nerve conduction velocity
• reduced ability to maintain homeostasis
• decline in cognitive processing: memory, reaction time, processing speed, and problem-solving

Emotional regulation development: Sensorimotor modulation phase

Phase of emotion regulation development, occurring between 3-9 months of age

Characterized by:
• enjoyment of sensorimotor play
• sensory exploration
• possible sensory modulation challenges

Emotional regulation development: Self-control phase

Phase of emotion regulation development, occurring between 24-48 months of age

Characterized by:
• emerging sense of identity
• demonstrated knowledge of social rules
• minimal flexibility and adaptation to change

Equilibrium reaction

Postural reflex present at approximately 6 months of age and continues throughout the life span

Reflexive response to help maintain or recover balance, includes shifting the body to reorient to midline

Down syndrome

Genetic disorder associated with chromosome 21; characterized by mild to moderate intellectual disability, physical developmental delay, low muscle tone, and characteristic facial features

Relational play

Play occupation that uses toys consistent with their intended purpose (e.g., pretending to self-feed with a spoon)

Also referred to as functional play

Middle childhood and adolescence readiness skills

Set of skills that signal readiness for learning in an educational setting

Examples may include:
• well-developed social skills
• self-expression and advocacy
• complex thought processes

Protective extension

Postural response present at approximately 6 months of age and continues throughout life, characterized by reflexive straightening of the upper extremities in response to a loss of balance

Constructive play

Play occupation that involves using objects/toys to produce or build something (e.g., put together a puzzle)

Infant sleep safety

Recommendations for infants provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics may include:
• place on their back
• sleep on a firm surface
• never place on an armchair, sofa, or couch
• consider offering a pacifier
• never share a bed 

Pretend play

Play occupation that involves making objects/toys perform intended actions (e.g., pretending to use a phone to talk)

Also referred to as symbolic or imaginary play

Emotional regulation development: Control phase

Phase of emotion regulation development, occurring between 12-18 months of age

Characterized by:

emerging awareness of social demands
• varying levels of inhibition and compliance
• self-initiated monitoring related to an understanding of consequences

Elementary school readiness skills

Set of skills that signal readiness for learning in an educational setting

Examples may include:
• completion of meal time routines outside the home
• independence with academic work
• participation in complex games and sports activities

Stage of motor learning: Exploratory stage

Stage of motor learning development, occurring between 1-3 months of age where the infant learns about the self and the environment using primitive movement patterns to:
• swipe at objects
• initiate reach
• complete low level skills

Emotional regulation development: Self-regulation phase

Phase of emotion regulation development, occurring between 36 months of age and older

Characterized by emerging:
• flexibility to adapt to unexpected change
• self-awareness
• capacity to evaluate own behavior

Kindergarten readiness skills

Set of skills that signal readiness for learning in an educational setting

Examples may include:
• active listening
• gross motor skills that include jumping, hopping, and running
• fine motor skills that support prewriting and coloring 

Play occupations

Meaningful, intrinsically motivating, and purposeful performance activities of childhood
Types include:
• exploratory play
• social play
• relational play
• gross motor play
• pretend play
• constructive play

Preschool readiness skills

Set of skills that signal readiness for learning in an educational setting

Examples may include:
• independence in toileting
• minimal assistance for manipulation of fasteners
• independence in self-feeding
• emerging peer interactions and self-regulation 

Stage of motor learning: Perceptual learning

Occurs in child development between 3-6 months

Characterized by:
• more accurate and direct reaching
• reaching to the midline
• emerging ability to combine reach and grasp with two hands

Righting reactions

Postural reflex present from approximately 3 months to 6 months of age that functions to orient the body in response to visual and vestibular input

Examples include:
• neck on body
• body on body
• body on head

Chronological age

Age of individual since birth, calculated by subtracting birth date from current date

Autism spectrum disorder

Neurodevelopmental disorder commonly referred to as a pervasive developmental disorder

May be characterized by a wide range of:
• social dysfunction
• stereotypical behavior patterns
• perseverative thoughts or interests
• sensory processing deficits
• executive dysfunction

Emotional regulation development: Neurophysiologic modulation phase

Phase of emotion regulation development, occurring between birth and 2-3 months of age

Characterized by ability to:
• regulate arousal (e.g., self-soothe, respond to parental soothing)
• activate organized patterns of behavior (e.g., routine sleep-wake cycles)