Physical & perceptual development

Synaptogenesis

The process of synapse development in the brain.

Pruning

The process of eliminating unused synapses to improve brain efficiency.

Myelinization

Creation of sheaths around axons, which improves the speed of neural communication.

Cephalocaudal pattern

Developmental order where growth proceeds from the head downward.

Proximodistal pattern

Developmental order where growth starts at the center of the body and moves towards the extremities.

Dynamic Systems Theory

A theory that suggests several factors interact to influence development.

Adaptive Reflexes

Reflexes that are advantageous for survival; some disappear as infants grow.

Primitive Reflexes

Basic reflexes governed by less sophisticated parts of the brain, which disappear by age 6-8 months.

Colic

Severe, often fluctuating pain in the abdomen that is caused by the intestine or other parts of the digestive tract undergoing spasms.

Breastfeeding

The practice of feeding an infant with milk directly from a mother's breast.

Macronutrient Malnutrition

A condition resulting from a diet with insufficient calories.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

The sudden and unexplained death of an infant, often during sleep.

Intermodal perception

The ability to combine information from different sensory modalities.

Visual Cliff Experiment

A study by Eleanor Gibson and Richard Walk to test depth perception in infants.

Sensory Skills

The abilities of the sensory organs to gather information from the environment.

Crying Patterns

Different types of cries exhibited by infants indicating pain, anger, or hunger.

Depth Perception

The ability to perceive the distance of objects, which develops through various cues.

Neural Plasticity

The brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.

Immunization

The process of becoming immune or resistant to an infectious disease, often through vaccination.

Teratogen

An agent or factor that causes malformation or abnormality in a developing fetus.

Infant Mortality Rate

The number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births in a given time period.