Human Development Ch4

1.Body Growth (changes in muscle-fat makeup, changes in body proportions such as proximodistal & cephalocaudal)

•  Changes in muscle-fat makeup happen rapidly within the first two years, newborn is 20in long and 7 ½ lbs. End of year 1 is 32in and triples to 22 lbs. By the end of year 2 to 36in and quadruple to 30lbs.

• Changes in body proportions=

  • proximodistal=”near to far”, growth begins from center of body and works outward

  • cephalocaudal= “head to tail”, head develops more rapidly than the lower body.

2.Brain Development (two vantage points of understanding brain growth), Neurons, synapses, and neurotransmitters. What is responsible for human intelligence, when does the brain double in size

• Two vantage points of understanding brain growth= the microscopic level of individual brain cells and the larger level of the cerebral cortex, the most complex brain structure and the one responsible for the highly developed intelligence of our species

• neurons= nerve cells that store and transmit information

• synapses= Tiny gaps between neurons where fibers from different neurons come close together but do not touch

• neurotransmitters= chemicals released by neurons that send messages across the synapse

• What is responsible for human intelligence=  the larger level of the cerebral cortex

• When does the brain double in size?= during the first year.

3.Lateralization and plasticity of the Cortex

• lateralization= Specialization of functions in the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex.

• plasticity= Openness of development to change in response to influential experiences.

4.Influences on early Physical Growth, Heredity, catch up growth

• Influences on …

  • Physical growth and heredity= has a large impact on growth when diet and health are adequate

  • Catch up growth= return to genetically influenced growth path once negative conditions are corrected

5.Nutrition, Breastfeeding vs Bottle-feeding, benefits, recommendations by Dept of Health 

• breastfeeding

  • Benefits= 

    • Ensures nutritional completeness

    • Provides correct fat–protein balance

    • Helps ensure healthy physical growth

    • Protects against disease

    • Protects against faulty jaw and tooth development

    • Ensures digestibility

    • Smooths transition to solid foods

• bottle-feeding

  • Benefits= 

    • Good for mothers who can't produce enough milk

    • Good for mothers who can't be with infant all the time

    • Easy 

• Recommendation by dept of health= advises exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and inclusion of breast milk in the baby’s diet until at least 1 year.

6.Malnutrition (marasmus, kwashiorkor, food insecurity, anemia)

• marasmus= is a wasted condition of the body caused by a diet low in all essential nutrients.

• kwashiorkor= caused by an unbalanced diet very low in protein. The child’s body responds by breaking down its own protein reserves, which causes the swelling and other symptoms that Osita experienced.

• Food insecurity= uncertain access to enough food for a healthy, active life

• anemia= condition where the blood doesn't have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin, which carries oxygen. 

7.Gross vs fine motor development, Table page 134: average age achieved- holds head steady, sits alone, crawls, stands alone, scribbles, walks alone

• Holds head steady= 6 weeks

• Sits alone= 7 months

• crawls= 7 months

• Stands alone= 11 months

• Scribbles= 14 months

• Walks alone= 11 months, 3 weeks

8.Fine Motor Development: reaching and Grasping (define each)

• Reaching= greatest role in development of fine motor skills, 

• grasping = child picking up things by themselves and exploring objects.

9.Perceptual Development, Vision (depth perception, color vision)

• Depth perception=the ability to judge the distance of objects from one another and from ourselves.

• Color vision= the ability to see color as the child develops