prenatal

germinal stage

-timeline: first 2 weeks after conception

-fertilized eggs (zygote) starts to divide into multiple cells (mitosis)

-attaches to uterus as a multi celled fertilized eggs 10-14 days after conception

embryonic stage

-timeline: week 3 - week 8

-rapid growth and cells start to become different body parts

-teratogens have the most influence on this stage

—the timing of exposure

—the mother’s health and nutritional

—mother and fetal genotypes

-embryo requires having an umbilical cord, amnion, and placenta to survive at this stage

organogenesis

transition from human cells to human organs

endoderm

internal systems like Digestive and Respiratory System - supporting system

exoderm

skin and other external parts

mesoderm

skeletal and muscular system

fetal stage

timeline: 2 months - birth

-at birth, babies are ~20 inches long and 7.5lbs

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

prenatal exposure

-embryo has similar blood alcohol level as mother

Effects

-small children and intellectual disabilities

-high incidence of physical and behavioral abnormalities

-small heads, eyes abnormally spaced, flattened noses, under-developed chins

-decreased height and weight

-cognitive deficits

—poor planning and reasoning

—trouble w/ impulsivity

—trouble regulating emotions

gestational age

age since conception, includes time spent in womb

chronological age

age since birth

low birth weight

< 5.5 pounds

preterm

infants born more than 3 weeks early

small for dates

infants whose weight is below what is expected given their gestational age

-born close to term but weight below what’s expected

state

the continuum of alertness or consciousness ranging from vigorous activity to regular sleep

neonate

birth to the end of the first month

regular sleep

“quiet sleep”

-babies eyes are closed, body stiff, breathing is slow and regular, face is relaxed

-threshold to stimuli is high —> need intense stimuli to wake up

non-rem sleep

irregular sleep

“active”

-eyes closed, lid movements, facial expressions, breathing is fast and less regular

-brain is active

-more easily aroused

REM sleep

drowsiness

-eyes open and close, dull glazed quality, breathing irregular, body is relatively inactive, attentive to stimuli but delayed

alert inactivity

babies eyes open, bright shing quality, eyes follow objects, body is relatively inactive, face relaxed

-environment is being scanned —> most attentive to stimuli

waking activity

baby engages in uncoordinated motor activity, spirts of activity, eyes open but not alert, breathing is very irregular, attentive but delayed

crying

vigorous movement of body, face is red, responsive to stimuli

reflexes

involuntary, automatic responses to an environmental stimuli

adaptive significance

survival/evolutionary value

Auto-stimulation hypothesis

brain needs to be active to develop but infant spends a lot of time asleep

-REM sleep provides brain activity in place of environment stimulation

Brazelton neonatal assessment scale

scale widely used in research

-used child’s states, reflexes, and interactions with people in environment

-couple hours after birth and then a couple days later

-soundness of central nervous fundtioning