Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the average weight of a newborn in the United States?
What is the average weight of a newborn in the United States?
- 7.5 pounds (correct)
- 10 pounds
- 12 pounds
- 5 pounds
At what age does an infant typically triple its birth weight?
At what age does an infant typically triple its birth weight?
- 6 months
- 2 months
- 1 year (correct)
- 18 months
By what age does an infant's weight typically quadruple compared to its birth weight?
By what age does an infant's weight typically quadruple compared to its birth weight?
- 2 years (correct)
- 6 months
- 18 months
- 1 year
How much of its body weight does an infant typically lose during the first few days of life?
How much of its body weight does an infant typically lose during the first few days of life?
What is the approximate length of an average one-year-old infant?
What is the approximate length of an average one-year-old infant?
What percentage of an infant's entire length does its head comprise at birth?
What percentage of an infant's entire length does its head comprise at birth?
How has the significance of development during infancy and toddlerhood been viewed by some researchers?
How has the significance of development during infancy and toddlerhood been viewed by some researchers?
By age 25, what percentage of our body's length does the head comprise?
By age 25, what percentage of our body's length does the head comprise?
What process occurs after the period of synaptic blooming?
What process occurs after the period of synaptic blooming?
What major change in the brain helps to improve the transmission rate of neural impulses?
What major change in the brain helps to improve the transmission rate of neural impulses?
By what age may a single neuron have thousands of dendrites due to exuberance?
By what age may a single neuron have thousands of dendrites due to exuberance?
Which part of the brain is primarily involved in thinking, planning, and judgment?
Which part of the brain is primarily involved in thinking, planning, and judgment?
Which area of the brain develops the earliest?
Which area of the brain develops the earliest?
What percentage of synaptic connections is estimated to be lost due to pruning?
What percentage of synaptic connections is estimated to be lost due to pruning?
What term describes the process where specific functions become localized on one hemisphere of the brain?
What term describes the process where specific functions become localized on one hemisphere of the brain?
Which lobe of the brain is located at the very back of the skull?
Which lobe of the brain is located at the very back of the skull?
At birth, what percentage of adult brain size does a newborn's brain represent?
At birth, what percentage of adult brain size does a newborn's brain represent?
During which life stage does most of the rapid neural growth occur?
During which life stage does most of the rapid neural growth occur?
What is neuroplasticity primarily concerned with?
What is neuroplasticity primarily concerned with?
At what age do children typically average about 10 hours of sleep per 24 hours?
At what age do children typically average about 10 hours of sleep per 24 hours?
Which type of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is the leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months old?
Which type of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is the leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months old?
What percentage of a newborn's sleep is typically in the REM phase?
What percentage of a newborn's sleep is typically in the REM phase?
Which factor influences the brain's plasticity the least compared to others?
Which factor influences the brain's plasticity the least compared to others?
How many infants died from accidental suffocation and strangulation in 2017?
How many infants died from accidental suffocation and strangulation in 2017?
What was the main recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding infant sleep?
What was the main recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding infant sleep?
What is a suggested hypothesis regarding the cause of SIDS?
What is a suggested hypothesis regarding the cause of SIDS?
What sleep pattern do newborns typically exhibit?
What sleep pattern do newborns typically exhibit?
What year did the Back to Sleep Campaign begin?
What year did the Back to Sleep Campaign begin?
At what age do infants start showing a preference for their native language?
At what age do infants start showing a preference for their native language?
How do newborns respond to circumcision performed without anesthesia?
How do newborns respond to circumcision performed without anesthesia?
Which flavor do newborns show a preference for?
Which flavor do newborns show a preference for?
What ability do infants demonstrate through intermodal perception?
What ability do infants demonstrate through intermodal perception?
What is the significance of the sucking reflex in habituation studies?
What is the significance of the sucking reflex in habituation studies?
Infants who show slower habituation rates are at risk for which of the following?
Infants who show slower habituation rates are at risk for which of the following?
What is considered the ideal diet for newborns?
What is considered the ideal diet for newborns?
What is one way infants demonstrate their ability to distinguish between different sounds?
What is one way infants demonstrate their ability to distinguish between different sounds?
Newborns show a preference for the smell of which of the following?
Newborns show a preference for the smell of which of the following?
At what age do high-risk infants show rates of habituation comparable to newborns?
At what age do high-risk infants show rates of habituation comparable to newborns?
What is colostrum often referred to as due to its rich nutrient content?
What is colostrum often referred to as due to its rich nutrient content?
How does breast milk change within the first few days after birth?
How does breast milk change within the first few days after birth?
Which infection rates are higher in formula-fed infants compared to breastfed infants?
Which infection rates are higher in formula-fed infants compared to breastfed infants?
What benefit does breastfeeding provide to mothers regarding their subsequent pregnancies?
What benefit does breastfeeding provide to mothers regarding their subsequent pregnancies?
At what average age can babies typically hold up their heads?
At what average age can babies typically hold up their heads?
Which condition has been linked to lower rates in children who are breastfed?
Which condition has been linked to lower rates in children who are breastfed?
What is the average age when most babies can sit alone?
What is the average age when most babies can sit alone?
What is a common reason why mothers in the United States stop breastfeeding exclusively?
What is a common reason why mothers in the United States stop breastfeeding exclusively?
By what age can infants typically reach for an object, beginning with both arms?
By what age can infants typically reach for an object, beginning with both arms?
What is the focus of fine motor skills?
What is the focus of fine motor skills?
What alternative feeding method can mothers use if they cannot breastfeed directly?
What alternative feeding method can mothers use if they cannot breastfeed directly?
What added financial benefit does breastfeeding have compared to formula feeding?
What added financial benefit does breastfeeding have compared to formula feeding?
What visual acuity can an 8-week-old infant typically see?
What visual acuity can an 8-week-old infant typically see?
What emotional development outcome is common to both breastfed and bottle-fed infants?
What emotional development outcome is common to both breastfed and bottle-fed infants?
Which of the following statements is true about an infant's vision at birth?
Which of the following statements is true about an infant's vision at birth?
Why are women with HIV generally discouraged from breastfeeding?
Why are women with HIV generally discouraged from breastfeeding?
By what age does visual acuity improve to about 20/200?
By what age does visual acuity improve to about 20/200?
What is a common reason for concern regarding a child's development?
What is a common reason for concern regarding a child's development?
What are gross motor skills primarily associated with?
What are gross motor skills primarily associated with?
What can early intervention help with in terms of child development?
What can early intervention help with in terms of child development?
What is the primary way infants learn about the world during the sensorimotor stage?
What is the primary way infants learn about the world during the sensorimotor stage?
In which substage do infants begin to intentionally repeat actions that are pleasurable?
In which substage do infants begin to intentionally repeat actions that are pleasurable?
What process involves modifying existing schemas to fit new experiences?
What process involves modifying existing schemas to fit new experiences?
Which substage involves infants interacting with their environment and demonstrating deliberate actions?
Which substage involves infants interacting with their environment and demonstrating deliberate actions?
During which substage do toddlers begin exploring the world using trial-and-error methods?
During which substage do toddlers begin exploring the world using trial-and-error methods?
What term describes the cognitive framework that helps children organize and interpret information?
What term describes the cognitive framework that helps children organize and interpret information?
What is the primary conclusion regarding bed-sharing and its relation to SIDS in infants under three months old?
What is the primary conclusion regarding bed-sharing and its relation to SIDS in infants under three months old?
What is the main characteristic of the Reflexes substage of the sensorimotor stage?
What is the main characteristic of the Reflexes substage of the sensorimotor stage?
What does Piaget mean by cognitive equilibrium?
What does Piaget mean by cognitive equilibrium?
Which reflex is described as a response where the toes fan out and curl when the sole of the foot is stroked?
Which reflex is described as a response where the toes fan out and curl when the sole of the foot is stroked?
In cultures where co-sleeping is common, what sleeping surfaces do parents and infants typically use?
In cultures where co-sleeping is common, what sleeping surfaces do parents and infants typically use?
Which substage marks the onset of representational thought in infants?
Which substage marks the onset of representational thought in infants?
What does the term 'Cephalocaudal' refer to in the context of motor development?
What does the term 'Cephalocaudal' refer to in the context of motor development?
What process occurs when a child learns that a horse is not a zebra, leading to the formation of distinct schemas?
What process occurs when a child learns that a horse is not a zebra, leading to the formation of distinct schemas?
Which reflex is replaced by more voluntary behaviors as infants grow older?
Which reflex is replaced by more voluntary behaviors as infants grow older?
What is the effect of persistent reflexes beyond their expected duration in infants?
What is the effect of persistent reflexes beyond their expected duration in infants?
Which of the following reflexes helps infants feeding by enabling them to suck on stimuli?
Which of the following reflexes helps infants feeding by enabling them to suck on stimuli?
What is suggested by the analysis of 8207 deaths concerning the age group most affected by bed-sharing?
What is suggested by the analysis of 8207 deaths concerning the age group most affected by bed-sharing?
Which of the following best describes the stepping reflex observed in infants?
Which of the following best describes the stepping reflex observed in infants?
What role do reflexes play in assessing the health of an infant's nervous system?
What role do reflexes play in assessing the health of an infant's nervous system?
Which sign indicates an infant may be ready for solid food?
Which sign indicates an infant may be ready for solid food?
What is the first type of solid food that should be introduced to an infant?
What is the first type of solid food that should be introduced to an infant?
Why should honey and corn syrup be avoided for children under 12 months?
Why should honey and corn syrup be avoided for children under 12 months?
What characterizes infantile marasmus?
What characterizes infantile marasmus?
Which groups are most at risk for malnutrition?
Which groups are most at risk for malnutrition?
What should be done when introducing new foods to an infant?
What should be done when introducing new foods to an infant?
What is a potential long-term consequence of early malnutrition?
What is a potential long-term consequence of early malnutrition?
Why is it advised to avoid sticky and round foods for young children?
Why is it advised to avoid sticky and round foods for young children?
What is the reported global situation regarding child wasting in 2014?
What is the reported global situation regarding child wasting in 2014?
At what age can infants typically perceive the full spectrum of colors?
At what age can infants typically perceive the full spectrum of colors?
What do newborns prefer when it comes to visual stimuli?
What do newborns prefer when it comes to visual stimuli?
What is a common symptom of severe malnutrition in infants?
What is a common symptom of severe malnutrition in infants?
Which of the following statements about infants' eye movements at one month old is true?
Which of the following statements about infants' eye movements at one month old is true?
When does binocular vision begin to develop in infants?
When does binocular vision begin to develop in infants?
What is a characteristic of infants' attention span at one month old?
What is a characteristic of infants' attention span at one month old?
What preference do infants show regarding specific voices?
What preference do infants show regarding specific voices?
By what age do infants typically develop smoother eye movements?
By what age do infants typically develop smoother eye movements?
What ability do infants demonstrate as early as one month after birth regarding sounds?
What ability do infants demonstrate as early as one month after birth regarding sounds?
What do infants typically prefer in terms of speech patterns?
What do infants typically prefer in terms of speech patterns?
How do infants respond to visual depth after gaining experience crawling?
How do infants respond to visual depth after gaining experience crawling?
What cognitive ability marks the end of the sensorimotor period?
What cognitive ability marks the end of the sensorimotor period?
At what age do infants typically acquire the milestone of object permanence?
At what age do infants typically acquire the milestone of object permanence?
What behavior indicates that a child has developed object permanence?
What behavior indicates that a child has developed object permanence?
What is a key sign of stranger anxiety in infants?
What is a key sign of stranger anxiety in infants?
What aspect of Piaget's theory has been critiqued by modern developmental psychologists?
What aspect of Piaget's theory has been critiqued by modern developmental psychologists?
Which method revealed that infants might have knowledge of objects earlier than Piaget suggested?
Which method revealed that infants might have knowledge of objects earlier than Piaget suggested?
What is the significance of a child retrieving a hidden object after a short waiting period?
What is the significance of a child retrieving a hidden object after a short waiting period?
What happens when a child is unable to assimilate a stranger into an existing schema?
What happens when a child is unable to assimilate a stranger into an existing schema?
What concept explains that a child understands an object still exists even when it is not visible?
What concept explains that a child understands an object still exists even when it is not visible?
At what age did some studies find that infants could retrieve a hidden object with a very short waiting period?
At what age did some studies find that infants could retrieve a hidden object with a very short waiting period?
What can a person learn by spending time with an infant regarding their cries?
What can a person learn by spending time with an infant regarding their cries?
What is cooing characterized by?
What is cooing characterized by?
How do infants begin to learn conversational skills?
How do infants begin to learn conversational skills?
What unique characteristic is observed in the cooing of infants based on their parents' language?
What unique characteristic is observed in the cooing of infants based on their parents' language?
At what age do infants typically start producing more elaborate vocalizations?
At what age do infants typically start producing more elaborate vocalizations?
What role does cooing serve for an infant?
What role does cooing serve for an infant?
What is the smallest unit of sound in language called?
What is the smallest unit of sound in language called?
How does syntax function in a language?
How does syntax function in a language?
What aspect of language deals with the context surrounding communication?
What aspect of language deals with the context surrounding communication?
What is typically the first way that newborns communicate?
What is typically the first way that newborns communicate?
Which of the following best describes morphemes?
Which of the following best describes morphemes?
At what age do infants begin to lose the ability to recognize phonemes from different languages?
At what age do infants begin to lose the ability to recognize phonemes from different languages?
What changes how words are interpreted in a conversation?
What changes how words are interpreted in a conversation?
What does semantics refer to in language?
What does semantics refer to in language?
Which component of language is specifically involved with word arrangement in sentences?
Which component of language is specifically involved with word arrangement in sentences?
Which characteristic distinguishes human language from the communication systems of other species?
Which characteristic distinguishes human language from the communication systems of other species?
What is the primary factor contributing to infantile amnesia?
What is the primary factor contributing to infantile amnesia?
How does context affect infant memory according to the research?
How does context affect infant memory according to the research?
What did Baillargeon's findings suggest about infants' understanding of objects?
What did Baillargeon's findings suggest about infants' understanding of objects?
At what age do infants typically show improved memory retention without the need for practice?
At what age do infants typically show improved memory retention without the need for practice?
What hypothesis relates to the lack of linguistic skills in infants affecting memory?
What hypothesis relates to the lack of linguistic skills in infants affecting memory?
What type of memory is demonstrated by Rovee-Collier's studies regarding infants and the mobile?
What type of memory is demonstrated by Rovee-Collier's studies regarding infants and the mobile?
Which factor is NOT mentioned as contributing to the understanding of infant memory?
Which factor is NOT mentioned as contributing to the understanding of infant memory?
What happens to infant memory over time according to the studies mentioned?
What happens to infant memory over time according to the studies mentioned?
What is one way Rovee-Collier found to aid infants in memory retrieval?
What is one way Rovee-Collier found to aid infants in memory retrieval?
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Study Notes
Overall Physical Growth
- Average weight of a U.S. newborn is about 7.5 pounds and length is approximately 20 inches.
- Infants may lose roughly 5% of their body weight in the first few days, which is normal and followed by rapid weight gain.
- By 4 months, an infant typically doubles its birth weight, and by one year, it has tripled; by age 2, weight quadruples (20-40 pounds).
- Average lengths are about 29.5 inches at one year and 34.4 inches at two years.
Body Proportions
- At birth, the head accounts for 25% of body length; significantly larger proportionally than in adults where it's about 20%.
Brain Development
- Infants are born with approximately 85 billion neurons, starting a phase of rapid dendrite growth, creating thousands of connections (synaptogenesis).
- Synaptic blooming occurs during infancy, followed by synaptic pruning to enhance brain efficiency, resulting in a 40% loss of connections.
- Myelination, occurring more dramatically in early years, speeds up neural impulse transmission and improves motor coordination and thought control.
- Infant brain weight increases from about 250 grams at birth to 750 grams by one year, reaching 55% of adult size within 90 days.
Cortex Development
- The cortex is involved in voluntary activity and thinking, divided into two hemispheres with four lobes each.
- Primary motor areas mature before sensory areas; the prefrontal cortex, responsible for emotion regulation and judgment, develops last.
Lateralization and Neuroplasticity
- Lateralization leads to the localization of brain functions, with the left hemisphere often dominating language and the right for visuospatial tasks.
- Neuroplasticity allows the brain to reorganize itself, creating new connections in response to experience, highly pronounced in infants.
Sleep Patterns
- Newborns typically sleep around 16.5 hours a day, decreasing to about 10 hours by age 2.
- Infants spend about 50% of sleep in REM phase, gradually decreasing as they grow.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID)
- In the U.S., approximately 3,500 SUID occur each year, including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is the leading cause of death for infants aged 1-12 months.
- 1,400 deaths in 2017 were attributed to SIDS; potential causes include brainstem abnormalities affecting breathing regulation.
Bed Sharing Risks
- Bed sharing increases the risk of SIDS, especially in infants younger than 3 months; risks escalate with parental smoking or substance abuse.
- Co-sleeping practices differ globally, with some cultures placing infants on hard surfaces to reduce suffocation risk.
Infant Reflexes
- Newborns exhibit reflexes like sucking, rooting, grasping, and stepping, essential for survival and feeding.
- Reflexes diminish over the first few months as voluntary movements develop, with continued assessment of reflex persistence revealing neurological health.
Motor Development
- Motor skills progress through a cephalocaudal and proximodistal sequence, beginning with head control, leading to sitting, crawling, and walking.
- Developmental milestones indicate average ages for skills like head control (6 weeks) and sitting unassisted (7 months).
Sensory Capacities
- Newborn vision is poorly developed; they can focus at 8-10 inches and improve to 20/200 acuity by 3 months.
- Hearing is keen at birth, evident early in prenatal development, with newborns preferring face-like stimuli.
Visual and Hearing Development
- Binocular vision develops by three months, and depth perception improves with crawling experience, affecting visual attention.
- Sensory systems evolve rapidly: newborns have immature but organized responses to visual stimulation, and hearing ability is fully functional shortly after birth.### Newborn Preferences and Abilities
- Newborns demonstrate a preference for their mother's voice over other female voices, influenced by in-utero exposure to maternal sounds.
- Research showed infants exposed to stories read by their mothers during pregnancy preferentially suck at familiar stories compared to novel ones.
- Infants can distinguish between similar sounds by one month old and prefer exaggerated infant-directed speech.
- Around six to nine months, infants show a preference for their native language, rapidly losing the ability to distinguish sounds from non-native languages.
Sensory Responsiveness
- Newborns are highly sensitive to touch, temperature, and pain, responding with crying and increased heart rate.
- Circumcision without anesthesia leads to immediate and measurable pain responses in infants, highlighting the need for pain management in such procedures.
Taste and Smell Preferences
- Newborns can differentiate between various tastes, showing a preference for sweet flavors and the scent of their mothers.
- Infants as young as six days old are more likely to turn toward their mother's breast pad over strangers'.
Intermodal Perception
- Infants possess the ability to integrate information from multiple sensory modalities, such as matching pacifier textures to visual models.
- By four months, infants can coordinate auditory and visual stimuli, revealing early cognitive development links through sensory experiences.
Habituation and Learning
- Habituation procedures assess infants' perceptual and memory skills by measuring changes in their sucking rates in response to familiar versus novel stimuli.
- The ability to habituate quickly is associated with successful language acquisition and cognitive development. High-risk infants may exhibit slower habituation, linking it to potential developmental delays.
Breastfeeding Benefits
- Breast milk is ideal for infants, rich in nutrients and antibodies, with changing composition to meet newborn needs.
- Formula-fed infants may experience higher rates of gastrointestinal issues and infections, emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding is associated with lower risks of various health issues for mothers and infants, including several cancers and conditions like diabetes and obesity.
Introducing Solid Foods
- Solid foods should be introduced based on developmental readiness, typically between 4 to 6 months.
- Initial foods should be iron-fortified cereals, with new foods introduced one at a time to monitor for allergies.
Global Malnutrition
- Children in developing countries face severe malnutrition, including infantile marasmus, linked to inadequate caloric and protein intake.
- Despite worldwide declines in wasting, millions of children still suffer from malnutrition, primarily in Asia and Africa.
Piaget's Sensorimotor Stage
- Piaget describes cognitive development through schemas, which are shaped by assimilation and accommodation as children interact with their environment.
- The sensorimotor stage consists of six substages, from reflex-based learning to beginnings of representational thought and problem-solving by 18-24 months.
Development of Object Permanence
- Object permanence, understanding that objects continue to exist when out of sight, typically develops by eight months, enabling infants to actively seek hidden objects.
- Stranger anxiety occurs alongside this milestone, where infants exhibit fear of unfamiliar people due to inability to assimilate strangers into their existing schemas.
Critique of Piaget
- Modern research suggests that Piaget underestimated younger children's cognitive abilities, particularly relating to object permanence and understanding basic object properties.
- Studies indicate infants show signs of object permanence earlier than Piaget proposed, challenging the timeline of his developmental stages.### Infant Object Knowledge
- Infants as young as 3 months can demonstrate knowledge about object properties, even with no prior experience.
- A study showed that 3-month-olds looked longer at impossible events, such as a truck passing through a solid, hollow box.
- Baillargeon (1987) concluded that infants understand basic physical properties, contrasting with Piaget’s view of their cognitive limitations.
Infant Memory
- Infant memory is fleeting and fragile due to brain immaturity, causing phenomena like infantile amnesia.
- Several hypotheses explain infantile amnesia, including lack of brain development for autobiographical memory and limited linguistic skills in encoding memories.
- Research by Rovee-Collier showed that 3-month-olds could remember experiences with a mobile, especially if they had previous exposure to it.
- Context dependency is critical; infants recall memories better when retrieval conditions match the original learning environment.
- Infants over 6 months retain information longer and require less prompting to recall past experiences compared to younger infants.
Language Development
- Language is a complex communication system essential for expressing intelligence through talking, reading, and writing.
- Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language, while morphemes are meaningful units that include prefixes and suffixes.
- Semantics involves rules that dictate how meanings are derived from morphemes, while syntax governs how sentences are structured.
- Pragmatics refers to the social rules of communication, including turn-taking and context interpretation, which is vital for effective interaction.
- Words' meanings can change based on context, emphasizing the importance of nonverbal communication cues.
Language Acquisition
- Language development follows a consistent order across cultures, starting even before birth as babies recognize their mother's voice.
- Newborns communicate through cries, gestures, and facial expressions rather than spoken language.
- Babies begin cooing shortly after birth, producing vowel-consonant combinations, and typically mimic sounds from their native language.
- By 4-6 months, infants engage in more complex vocal interactions, learning conversational pacing and turn-taking with others.
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