Infant Growth, Development, and Health Promotion Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering infant developmental milestones, sensory changes, primitive reflexes, nutrition guidelines, and health promotion concepts.

Posterior Fontanelle

The soft spot on an infant's skull that closes by 2 months of age.

Anterior Fontanelle

The soft spot on an infant's skull that closes between 15 and 18 months of age.

Infant Weight Gain Milestones

Growth pattern where an infant gains 5-7 ounces per week in the first 6 months and 3-5 ounces per week in the second 6 months, doubling birth weight by 6 months and tripling it by 1 year.

Infant Visual Acuity at Birth

The visual state at birth where eyes are well developed but vision is limited to seeing objects within 18 inches of the face.

Creeping

The forward movement of an infant on their hands and knees, commonly referred to as crawling (whereas true crawling begins as backward movement).

Pincer Grasp

A fine motor milestone achieved at 12 months of age that enables an infant to pick up small items using the thumb and index finger to feed themselves.

Social Smile

A psychosocial developmental milestone occurring at 2 months of age where an infant smiles in response to a caregiver.

Trust versus Mistrust

Erikson's psychosocial stage during infancy in which attachment and bonding with caregivers are critical for healthy brain and emotional development.

Sensorimotor Period

Piaget's cognitive developmental stage in infancy where infants use their senses and motor abilities to explore their environment and learn.

Object Permanence

A major cognitive milestone occurring at 9 months of age where an infant searches for an object that is out of their visual field.

Babinski Reflex

A neonatal reflex where stroking the sole of the foot causes the infant to fan out toes and twist the foot in; disappears between 9 months and 1 year.

Moro Reflex

A primitive reflex triggered by a sudden movement or loud noise, causing the infant to startle, throw out arms and legs, and pull them back toward the body; disappears at 3-4 months.

Rooting Reflex

A neonatal reflex where stroking an infant's cheek or touching the side of the mouth causes them to turn toward the source, open their mouth, and suck; disappears at 3-4 months.

Tonic Neck Reflex

A primitive reflex elicited when an infant is placed on their back, causing them to make fists and turn their head to the right; disappears at 2 months.

Extrusion Reflex

Also known as the tongue thrust reflex, a protective reflex present at birth that causes an infant to push food out of their mouth; disappears by 6 months of age.

Pitcher Method

A formula preparation practice where a 24-hour supply of infant formula is mixed at once starting with boiled water and powder, then refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Formula Feeding Time Limit

The safety window requiring formula to be used within 60 minutes once a feeding has started to prevent bacterial growth.

Teething Calculation Formula

A clinical rule of thumb to estimate the expected number of primary teeth in an infant: $\text{Number of teeth} = \text{age in months} - 6$.

Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)

A standardized developmental screening tool administered by healthcare providers during well-child visits to monitor whether an infant is meeting key developmental milestones.