The Prenatal Period, Birth, Newborn & Physical Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood (Psych 2117)

Conception: Fertilization of egg by sperm (Forms a zygote)

The Germinal Period (0 - 2 Weeks)

Specialized layers of cells (Ectoderm, Mesoderm, Endoderm)

The Embryonic Period (2 - 8 Weeks)

Major organs take primitive shape

The Embryonic Period (2 - 8 Weeks)

Epigenesis (Process by which a new phenotypic form emerges through the interactions of the preceding form and its current environment)

The Embryonic Period (2 - 8 Weeks)

Cephalocaudal pattern (Pattern of development that proceeds from the head down)

The Embryonic Period (2 - 8 Weeks)

Proximodistal pattern (Pattern of development that proceeds from the middle of the organism out to the periphery)

The Embryonic Period (2 - 8 Weeks)

Size of fetus increases dramatically (Length: from 1.5 inches to 20 inches / Weight: from .02 pounds to approx. 7.1 pounds)

The Fetal Period (8 weeks – birth)

Major organ systems (Gets more complex and organized)

The Fetal Period (8 weeks – birth)

Largely relates to lung & brain development

The Fetal Period (8 weeks – birth)

The APGAR Test

A fast physical check performed on a newborn baby at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth (Appearance, Pusle, Grimace, Activity, Respiration)

Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale

Assesses subtle behavioral aspects of newborn’s condition (Reflexes, Motor Capacities, Muscle Tone, Responsiveness to objects and people, Control over own behavior)

Average Size Of An Infant

20 Inches, 7.5 Pounds

Newborn Sleep

About 15-17 hours a day in 1 - 3 Hour Segments

Multimodal Perception

The ability to perceive an object or event by more than one sensory system simultaneously