Physical and Motor Development of Newborns

These flashcards focus on key vocabulary and concepts related to the physical and motor development of newborns.

Physical Development

The changes in physical attributes such as height, weight, and motor skills in newborns.

Motor Skills

Abilities that involve the coordinated movement of muscles and limbs.

Neurological Mechanisms

Processes in the nervous system that are closely related to behavior.

At Risk Infants

Infants who may face adverse outcomes due to factors like maternal age, socioeconomic status, or health.

Teratogens

Substances that can cause developmental malformations in a fetus.

Low Birth Weight (LBW)

Weight at birth that is less than 2500 grams, categorized into pre-term and small for gestational age.

Pre-term Infants

Infants born before 37 weeks of gestation.

Small for Gestational Age (SGA)

Infants whose weight is significantly lower than average for their gestational age.

Complications of LBW

Problems associated with low birth weight, including breathing issues and developmental difficulties.

APGAR Exam

A quick test performed on a newborn at 1 and 5 minutes after birth to assess their health.

APGAR Score

A score from 0 to 10 that evaluates a newborn's heart rate, respiration, muscle tone, skin color, and reflex response.

Heart Rate Assessment

One aspect of the APGAR scoring system which checks the infant's pulse.

Muscle Tone

The state of readiness of the muscles and their ability to maintain a position.

Cranial Nerve Function

Assessment of the function of nerves that control movement and sensation in the head and neck.

Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale (NBAS)

A tool used to assess the behavioral functioning of a newborn.

Attention

A state of focused awareness that can be measured in infant assessments.

Physiological Response to Stress

The body's reactions in response to stressors, observed through newborn assessments.

Test-Retest Reliability

The consistency of a test's results over multiple administrations.

Sleep/Wake Development

Changes in sleep patterns and alertness levels as the newborn matures.

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)

The sudden and unexplained death of an infant, often associated with sleep positions.

Reflexes in Infants

Automatic responses to stimuli; include rooting, palmar, and stepping reflexes.

Motor Development

The progression of movement patterns in infants as they grow.

Locomotion

The ability to move from one place to another, such as crawling and walking.

Proximodistal Development

Development that proceeds from the center of the body outward.

Cephalocaudal Development

Development that proceeds from head to foot.

Motor Milestones

Developmental benchmarks that indicate stages of motor skills acquisition.

Dynamic Systems Approach

The concept that motor development emerges from the interaction of various systems, including experience.

Visual Cliff Experiment

A study to assess depth perception in infants based on their crawling experience.

Prehension

The action of reaching for and grasping objects.

Environmental Factors

External conditions that influence development, such as maternal behavior or early experiences.

Stimulus Response

The reaction of an infant to a sensory stimulus.

Crying Behavior

A primary method of communication and expression by infants.

Neonatal Assessment

Evaluations conducted to measure various aspects of a newborn's health and development.

Behavioral Indicators

Observable traits or actions that signify an infant’s health and development.

Maternal Factors

Characteristics of the mother that can influence the infant's development, such as age and education level.