Infancy & Childhood

Physical Development Focus on our physical changes over time.

How do brain and motor skills develop? Good News While in the womb, you produce almost ¼ million brain cells per minute. Bad News That is basically all you are ever going to develop.

The Brain and Infancy Although the brain does not develop many new cells, the existing cells begin to work more efficiently- forming more complex neural networks.

The Brain & Memory Infantile amnesia average age of 1st conscious memory: 3.5 years. Babies demo implicit memory with rattles, kicking, etc.

Maturation Physical growth, regardless of the environment. Although the timing of our growth may be different, the sequence is almost always the same.

Motor Development Sequence is the same- but once again timing varies. First learn to roll over, sit up unsupported, crawl, walk etc…

Walking Walking- in US 25% learn by 11 months, 50% within a week of 1st birthday, 90% by 15 months. Varies by culture- if the culture emphasizes walking then babies can walk at younger ages (NURTURE). But identical twins tend to learn to walk on the same day (NATURE). Sophie can walk video!