Infant & Childhood Development

Infant & Childhood: My Qs What is the difference between the embryonic period and fetal period? Why are infants born with reflexes? Describe each of Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development. Describe each of the first four stages of Erikson’s Psychosocial Development.

How do humans develop from conception through birth? The fertilized egg is called a zygote and divides into many cells, eventually forming a baby. Monozygotic twins are formed when the zygote splits into two separate masses of cells, developing into identical twins. Dizygotic twins are formed when the mother’s body releases multiple eggs and at least two are fertilized.

Embryonic & Fetal Periods The embryonic period begin at two weeks after conception and ends at eight weeks. The vital organs and structures of the baby form during this period, making it a critical one for teratogens to affect the babies’ development. The fetal period is from the beginning of the ninth week until the birth of the baby. Tremendous growth occurs, length and weight increase, and organs continue to become fully functional.

What reflexes and abilities do newborns have? Four critical areas of adjustment for the newborn are respiration, digestion, circulation, and temperature regulation. Infants are born with reflexes that help them survive until more complex learning is possible. These reflexes included: Sucking Rooting Moro (startle) Grasping Stepping

Sensory Development Touch, smell, and taste are the most developed senses at birth. Hearing is functional before birth but may take a little while to reach its full potential after birth. The sense of vision is the least developed sense at the time of birth. Vision is blurry and lacking in full color perception until about 6 months of age.

What kind of physical changes take place in infancy and childhood? Fine motor skills develop at a fast pace during infancy and early childhood. These skill develop more rapidly based on nutrition and care. Infants learn to raise their heads, roll over, sit up, and eventually walk. Many learn to perform complex tasks that involve numerous parts of their body at one time.

Piaget’s Theory: 4 Stages of Cognitive Development Jean Piaget proposed that children go through four distinct stages of cognitive development. Sensorimotor: Sensory and physical interaction with the world. During this stage children develop knowledge of things without the necessity of having to see them at all times. Preoperational: Language becomes a tool of exploration. Concrete Operations: Logical thought becomes possible. Formal Operations: Abstract concepts are understood and hypothetical thinking develops. Although many children reach this stage, not everyone gets to this point in their lifetimes.

What are the stages of language development? The five stages of language development are: Cooing (vowel-like sounds) Babbling (consonant sounds) One word speech (Cookie!) Telegraphic speech (unnecessary words are excluded) Whole sentences by age 6. While some language is learned through imitation and reinforcement, infants may possess a language acquisition device that governs the learning of language during infancy and childhood.

How do babies begin to develop relations with others? Babies form an attachment with a primary caregiver. Mary Ainsworth identified the four different types of attachment. 1) Secure 2) Avoidant – Unattached 3) Ambivalent (insecurely attached) 4) Disorganized (insecurely attached and sometimes abused.)

How do children develop socially and emotionally? Erikson developed eight stages of psychosocial development, with the first four devoted to infancy and childhood. In trust v. mistrust, the infant must gain a sense of predictability and trust to its caretakers, or risk becoming untrustworthy. In autonomy v. shame and doubt, the toddler needs to become physically independent. In initiative v. guilt, the preschool child is developing emotional and psychological independence. In industry v. inferiority, school age children are gaining competence and developing self-esteem.