Prenatal and Newborn Development Psychology, Unit 6

Today’s Objectives 1.Know terms of prenatal development 2.Know factors in nourishment/defects 3.Define critical period, teratogens, and fetal alcohol syndrome 4.Explain factors in newborn reflexes, temperament, and perception

Prenatal Development 40 week period from conception to birth 1 st 2 wks= zygote 2 wks-12 wks= embryo 12 wks-birth= fetus

Prenatal Nourishment/Development Placenta- organ that attaches fetus to uterus and provides nourishment thru-out prenatal phase Food and drink cross thru the placenta and can affect the developing fetus Teratogens are toxic substances that cross the placenta and can result in birth defects

Critical Period First trimester (3mos) most severe damage can result from teratogens 2 nd and 3 rd trimesters indicate decreasing damage from teratogens Stress, poor nutrition, smoking, drinking, legal and illegal drug use can cause serious birth defects, premature birth, low birth weight and lifelong cognitive impairments and behavioral disorders

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome A child exposed to alcohol during the prenatal phase may develop fetal alcohol syndrome –Facial deformities, heart defects, stunted growth, cognitive impairments, premature birth, low birth weight –Entirely preventable, but not curable

Newborns Known as neonates Sleep up to 20 hours a day, but are proven to be very aware of their surroundings and have a keen sense of their parents/siblings

Reflexes Rooting- explore w/ mouth Sucking- suck on object placed in mouth Swallowing- duh! Grasping- close fists around objects in hand Stepping- make stepping motion when held upright

Temperament All different from birth, but tend to indicate future behavior A difficult baby may create tired, frustrated parents who, as a result of their own temperament, will foster continued difficult behaviors

Perception Vision- takes 3-4yrs to develop completely; blurry at birth, but very good by 6-8 mos Depth- develops by the time they crawl; 6-8 mos Other senses- hearing develops fully in womb; smell and taste may develop before birth, but are certainly present at birth

Exit Ticket 1.Distinguish zygote, embryo, and fetus 2.What organ attaches the fetus to the mother’s uterus? 3.Define Teratogen and discuss the possible outcome of using alcohol during pregnancy 4.How might parents influence temperament? How long will this likely last?