8. First Three Years Physical Development posting

FIRST THREE YEARS

Physical Development

The Newborn Neonatal Period (First Four Weeks)

• Average Measurements:

  • Height: 20 inches

  • Weight: 7.5 lbs

  • Range for 95% of newborns: 18-22 inches and 5.5-10 lbs

• Physical Features:

  • Large head

  • Receding chin

  • Hairy (Lanugo)

  • Covered in Vernix Caseosa

Assessing the Newborn

Apgar Scale (Table 4-1)

• Appearance (color):

  • 0: Blue, pale

  • 1: Body pink, extremities blue

  • 2: Entirely pink

• Pulse (heart rate):

  • 0: Absent

  • 1: Slow (below 100)

  • 2: Rapid (over 100)

• Grimace (reflex irritability):

  • 0: No response

  • 1: Grimace

  • 2: Coughing, sneezing, crying

• Activity (muscle tone):

  • 0: Limp

  • 1: Weak, inactive

  • 2: Strong, active

• Respiration (breathing):

  • 0: Absent

  • 1: Irregular, slow

  • 2: Good, crying

• Notes: Each sign is rated 0 to 2, with a total possible score of 10.

International Infant Mortality Rates

• Definition Variations:

  • Note: The definition of "infant mortality" varies worldwide.

  • The U.S. has a broader definition, potentially explaining its higher rates.

Infant Mortality Rates by Race and Ethnicity (2022)

• Rates per 1,000 live births:

  • Non-Hispanic White: 4.5

  • Non-Hispanic Black: 10.9

  • Hispanic: 4.9

  • Non-Hispanic Asian: 3.5

  • American Indian or Alaska Native: 8.5

  • Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 4.9

How do Infants Grow and Develop Physically?

Patterns of Growth

• Growth Patterns:

  • Cephalocaudal (head to toe)

  • Proximodistal (center outward)

• Weight Loss:

  • Infants may lose 5 to 7 percent of body weight initially as they learn to suck and feed.

• Growth Rate:

  • Grow about one inch per month during the first year.

  • Gain approximately five to six ounces per week during the first month.

  • Generally, double birth weight by four months.

Reflexes

• Key Reflexes Include:

  • Tonic neck reflex

  • Grasp reflex

  • Crawl reflex

  • Moro reflex

  • Step reflex

  • Babkin reflex

  • Rooting reflex

Brain Development

Brain Physiology

• Components:

  • Neurons: Fundamental units of the brain.

  • Lobes: Frontal, occipital, temporal, and parietal.

Neuronal Components

• Cell Body and Axon

  • Dendrites

  • Action potential

  • Neurotransmitters (NT)

  • Synapse

  • Types of Impulses: Electrical & Chemical

  • Receptor sites

Changing Neurons in Infancy

• Neuronal Changes:

  • Increase in dendrites and synapses

  • Myelination

  • Pruning (elimination of excess neurons)

Brain Development: Critical Role of Experience

• Impact of Environment:

  • Enriched environments enhance brain development in both young and older individuals (evidenced in studies with rats)

Hearing in Infancy

• Auditory Recognition:

  • Newborns can recognize their mother’s voice.

• Hearing Ability:

  • Gradual increase in ability to hear soft sounds.

  • Infants can distinguish subtle phonetic differences.

Touch and Pain

• Yes, infants do feel pain!

Smell and Taste

• Development:

  • Both senses develop in the womb.

• Preferences:

  • Infants show a preference for their mother’s scent.

  • Infants prefer sweet tastes.

Sight Vision

• Visual Acuity Development:

  • Newborns: 20/400

  • By 6 months: 20/100

  • By 1 year: 20/20

• Color Perception:

  • At birth: Red-green

  • By 2 months: All colors

• Depth Perception:

  • Develops based on experience.

Gross Motor Development

• Progression of Skills:

  • Walks alone well

  • Walks holding onto furniture

  • Pulls self to stand

  • Sits without support

  • Rolls over

  • Crawls

Fine Motor Development

• Cultural Similarities:

  • Fine motor development is relatively consistent across different cultures.

Infant Handling Customs: Jamaica

Formal Handling Routines Include:

• Practices:

  • Massage

  • Shaping

  • Stretching

  • Active exercises

• Investigated in studies for developmental benefits.

Study #1: Van der Putten, A. (1996)

• Procedure:

  • Interview conducted with 52 Jamaican caregivers regarding child care practices.

• Results:

  • All caregivers used formal handling practices (entirely or partially).

  • Reasons:

    • To promote child growth

    • It's traditional

    • To maintain child flexibility

    • Recommended by prior generations

Study #2: Hopkins, B. & Westra, T. (1990)

• Procedure:

  • Group A: Jamaican mothers who used all formal handling practices

  • Group B: Jamaican mothers who used either massage only or none of the routine

  • Group C: British mothers with no formal handling practices

• Results:

  • Sitting: Group A: 5.2 months, Group B: 7.0 months, Group C: 7.2 months

  • Crawling: Group A: 10.1 months, Group B: 10.6 months, Group C: 10.4 months

  • Walking: Group A: 10.0 months, Group B: 11.9 months, Group C: 13.2 months

Summary: Physical Development in the First Three Years

• Key Topics:

  • Fetus to newborn transition

  • Assessment of the newborn (including low birth weight concerns)

  • Patterns of physical growth and development

  • Brain development and reflexes

  • Sensory development and perceptions

  • Progression of motor development