Principles of Child Dev’t  Development is a process that includes growth as well as progress in skills and abilities.  Each child is unique BUT certain ones are observed in all children and in the same sequence.  Proceeds at an individual rate  Progress in one area effects process in another area – interrelated

Areas of Development  Physical – size, wt, control and coordination of movement  Intellectual – develop language, solve problems, remember  Emotional – recognize and expressing feeling appropriately  Social – learning to relate to other people  Moral – learning to distinguish between right and wrong

Development is Sequential  Simple to complex  Head to foot  Trunk out

Development continues throughout Life  1 st 3 years are critical  Until 3, brain develop rapidly 100 billion neurons or nerve cells Transmit info to one another thru electric signals that must jump a junction point called a synapse (where neurons connect to multiple others) At birth infant use 50 trillion synapses but w/I first few months of life increases to 1000 trillion # of synapses can increase or decrease 25% depending on the level of positive attention and interaction

Factors That Influence Development  Heredity (nature) – traits from genes passed down from mom and dad  Environment (nurture) – conditions and circumstances affecting a person’s daily life; most influential is family, then community live in, then economic condition (access to education and technology)

Infant Growth (increase in size and weight) Average birth weight is 7 1/2 lb and length is 20”.  Lose weight before they leave the hospital – due to fluid loss and lack of appetite.  By the end of the first, the ave baby will have gained about 2 lbs.  General rule of growth – 3X weight in first year – 1.5X height  Body proportions – ¼ of length is head (adult 1/8); short legs and arms

Head  Head is elongated called molding – rounds off several days after birth because of  Fontanels (soft spots)  Strengthen neck by placing on stomach so they move head side-to-side and practice head rearing  Can hold by 6 mos

May develop CRADLE CAP (yellow crust on baby’s scalp)

EYES  Can see between 5” and 18” at birth  Focus on one object  Like dim lit rooms over brightly lit  Like faces and bright colors  Tear ducts aren’t developed at birth – so no tears when cry  Sometimes eye muscles are weak at birth causing momentary cross-eyes  See like an adult by 3 mos

EARS  Good hearing  Prefer human voice  Startle easy - If not baby may be hard of hearing and need to see a doctor

MOUTH  Automatic sucking action  Taste buds on tongue and roof of mouth are very sensitive  Roof of mouth isn’t as flat as an adult

TEETH  Tooth buds are formed during 1st trimester for primary teeth and 3 rd trimester for permanent teeth  First appears around 6-10 mos – usually bottom front

TORSO, LEGS, FEET  First day in fetal position  Legs will be slightly bowed – straighten by age 2-3  Development head to toe, torso to limb

INFANT REFLEXES 1. Grasping reflex – disappears around 3 mos when can control on their own 2. Rooting reflex – cheek is touched, turn head and open mouth – quits around 9 mos 3. Moro (startle) reflex – loud sounds or sudden changes causes extension of limbs, arching back – quits around 3 mos 4. Babinski – stroke sole of foot, toes fan out and foot twists – quits at 6-9 mos 5. Walking – held under arms w/ bare feet touching surface will make step-like motions – quits 4-8

Child Dev’t Stages - INFANCY  birth to 12 mos (pg 268 motor skills) 2 mos – added 3” & 3 lbs; hold head for short amts 4 mos – added 2” & 2 lbs; hold head; bear weight on legs 6 mos – added l” & 2 lb; heads grow for growing brains; roll over; sit w/o support 7 mos – crawl; sit w/o support 12 mos – walk w/ support 6-12 mos – physical dev’t slows down while motor dev’t speeds up