Child Development Chapter 5: Physical Development in Infants & Toddlers

Kids grow in…

spurts

Skeletal Age

measures bone development by x-raying to see how much cartilage has hardened into bone

What organ is closest to it’s adult size at birth?

Brain

Neurons

nerve cells that store and transmit info through connections with each other

Synapses

Gap between neuron fibers that messages are sent through

Neurotransmitters

chemcials that are able to cross through synapses

Cerebral Cortex

complex thoughts, impulses, planing, self regulation, problem solving.

Programmed Cell Death

neurons die as synapses are made after birth

Synpatic Pruning

neurons that are not frequently used become noncommittal but can still be accessed if needed for future development

prefrontal cortex growth

constant in preschool-elementary school, slows down and accelerates again during adolescence.

Left Hemisphere

verbal, spoken and written language, math, positive emotions. Better at processing information analytically

Right Hemisphere

spatial abilities, judging distances, reading maps, recognizing shapes, regulating negative emotions, creativity, hollistically processing ideas.

Brain Plasticity

if a child’s brain is injuried before the brain has lateralized itself it is much easier for them to recover

experience-expectant brain growth

brain development that depends upon typical experiences that infants and toddlers go through (being spoken to)

experience-dependant brain growth

development that is caused by specific varying experiences