Child Development

what does the occipital lobe do?

visual field information

what is caused by occipital lobe damage?

visual deficits

what does the parietal lobe do?

integrates sensory input

what is caused by parietal lobe damage?

• spatial neglect

• apraxia

what does the temporal lobe do?

• auditory and language processing

• object recognition

• memory

• social understanding

what is caused by parietal lobe damage?

• difficulty remembering how to complete a task

• social norms

what does the frontal lobe do?

• executive function

• impulse control

• motor planning

• cognitive function

what is caused by frontal lobe damage?

• expressive aphasia

• disinhibition

• higher level skills

what does the thalamus do?

• relay station

• sends sensory and motor information to the brain

• relays all sensory information except for smell

what does the hypothalamus do?

• controls sleep/wake cycles

• site for central control of the autonomic nervous system

what does the hippocampus do?

• critical for memory formation

• controls spatial reasoning

what does the amygdala do?

• emotional regulation and attachment

• strong communication between the pre-frontal cortex

what is commonly underdeveloped in children, but more pronounced in autism and ADHD?

amygdala

what does the cerebellum do?

• coordination

• balance/posture

• regulation of walking

• precision

• timing of movements (anticipatory, reactive)

• control of tone

• creates neural circuits for implicit learning

when does the cerebellum undergo dramatic growth?

28-40 weeks GA

what percentage of brain volume is the cerebellum and what percentage of the brains neurons does it contain?

• 10%

• 50%

95% of people with autism have a smaller what?

cerebellum

what does the brain stem do?

• connects cerebellum to spinal cord and cerebellum

• responsible for many vital functions

  • breathing

  • HR

  • BP

  • sleep

• houses many cranial nerves

• controls reflexes

when does the corpus callosum form?

• 16-20 weeks GA

what does the corpus callosum do?

• integrates motor, sensory, cognition across hemispheres

• gives the ability to cross midline

when does the corpus callosum stop increasing in size?

• mid-twenties

what affects brain development?

• prenatal factors

• genetics

• experiences

• environment

what in brain development is affect in premature infants?

• brain underdeveloped

  • corpus callosum

  • smaller cerebellum

• poor muscle tone

• poor sensory processing

  • sensitive to light, touch and sound

how does stress affect brain development?

• prenatal stress adversely affects structure of amygdala in infants

• affects learning and behavior

• more adverse childhood experiences causes more negative health affects

  • asthma

  • ADHD

  • risk of harmful behavior

• homes with constant stress cause children to have increased cortisol making sleep harder

• leads to underdeveloped neural connections

how does interaction help a child develop?

helps brain to form positive attachments

what are postural reflexes?

• begin to develop after birth

• triggered by effects of gravity

• allow subconscious control of posture, balance and coordination

what are the two categories of postural reflexes?

• righting reactions

• equilibrium reactions

how long can it take postural reactions to fully develop?

up to 3 ½ years

what are righting reactions?

• develop right after birth in response to gravity

• movements of head on trunk

• relationship of body segments and gravity

• allow us to orient to our environment and our own body

what controls righting reactions?

midbrain

when are righting reactions most distinguishable?

10-12 months

what are equilibrium reactions?

• maintain balance in response to alterations in the body’s COG or BOS

• may include protective responses (ankle, hip, stepping strategies)

what controls equilibrium reactions?

cerebellum

when do equilibrium reactions appear?

• around 6 months

• begin as transitions emerge

what are primitive reflexes?

• automatic, involuntary motor response originating in brain stem

what are primitive reflexes indicators for?

neurological maturity

what can primitive reflexes affect?

• muscle tone development

• vestibular system

• birthing process

• survival

• development

ATNR stimulus

head turned to one side

ATNR response

• ipsilateral extension of arm and leg

• contralateral flexion of arm and leg

normal age of response for ATNR

birth to 6 months

what does retained ATNR interfere with?

• visual tracking and hand eye coordination

• rolling

• development of crawling

• can lead to skeletal deformities

  • scoliosis

  • hip sublux

STNR stimulus

neck flexion or extension

STNR response

neck flexion: arms flexed, legs extended

neck extension: arms extended, legs flexed

normal age of response of STNR

6-12 months

what does retained STNR interfere with?

• maintain prone

• attain and maintain hands/knee

• crawling reciprocally

  • leads to bunny hop crawling

• dynamic sitting balance

• hand-eye coordination in sitting

TLR stimulus

head position based on labyrinth in inner ear

TLR response

supine: body and extremities in extension

prone: body and extremities in flexion

what does retained TLR interfere with?

• rolling

• propping on elbows with extended hips

• pulling to sit (chin tuck and trunk flexion)

• balance in sitting or standing

galant stimulus

touch to skin along spine from shoulder to hip

galant response

lateral flexion of trunk to side of stimulus

normal age of response for galant reflex

30 weeks GA to 2 months

why does galant reflex develop in 30th week of gestation?

allows baby to wiggle through birth canal

what does retained galant reflex interfere with?

• sitting balance

• scoliosis

• hyperactivity

• potty training

palmar grasp reflex stimulus

pressure in palm on ulnar side of hand

palmar grasp reflex response

flexion of fingers causing strong grip

normal age of response for palmar grasp reflex

birth to 4 months

what does retained palmar grasp reflex interfere with?

• ability to grasp and release objects voluntarily

• weight bearing on open hand for propping, crawling, and protective responses

plantar grasp reflex stimulus

pressure to base of toes

plantar grasp reflex response

flexion of toes

normal age of response for plantar grasp reflex

28 weeks GA to 9 months

what would retained plantar grasp reflex interfere with?

• ability to stand with feet flat on surface

• balance reactions and weight shifting in standing

rooting reflex stimulus

touch to cheek

rooting reflex response

turning head to same side with mouth open

normal age of response for rooting reflex

28 weeks GA to 3 months

what would retained rooting reflex interfere with?

• oral-motor development

• development of midline control of head

• optical righting

• visual tracking

• social interaction