1. Chapter 5 Physical and Cognitive Development in Infancy
Part III Infancy
Chapter 5
Physical and Cognitive Development in Infancy

2. Physical Development in Infancy
Development Milestones of Infancy
In one year, after the child is born, his height increases by one-half and his weight triples.
Feeding moves from drinking only milk to eating solid food.

3. Physical Development in Infancy
Brain Development
Brain size grows from being twenty-five percent of the adult brain at birth to sixty percent at one year.
At birth, the infant’s brain responds to its environment and wires new connections as the infant continues to interact with his environment.
Neonatal Reflexes=innate, automatic responses to environment

4. Physical Development in Infancy
Newborn Abilities
Imitation of tongue movements
Visual tracking of nearby objects
Hearing and sound localization
Actively seek out stimulation

5. Physical Development in Infancy
Neonatal Assessment Techniques
Apgar—tests heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and skin color at birth and 3,5, and 10 minutes later.
Neurological Assessment—tests reflexes
Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale—tests infant’s state of consciousness and defensive reactions

6. Physical Development in Infancy
Motor Development
Development in cephalocaudal (head-to-feet) direction
Development in proximodistal (center of body outward) direction
Locomotion: crawlingcreepingstandingwalking

7. Physical Development in Infancy
Neonatal Problems
Failure to Thrive
Organic—physical cause, i.e.,gastrointestinal
Nonorganic—non-physical, i.e. poverty, neglect
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
No warning; child stops breathing
Occurs mostly between two and four months
Sleeping Disorders
Child is not able to go to sleep easily
Child wakes frequently at night

8. Physical Development in Infancy
Neonatal Problems
Respiratory Distress Syndrome=hyaline membrane disease
Usually found in premature infants
Lungs do not work properly and can collapse making breathing impossible

9. Perceptual Development
The Meaning of Perception
Getting and interpreting information from stimuli
Perception is dependent upon both learning and maturation
Visual Perception
Perceptual Discrimination—preference for patterns
Visual Adaptation—visual cliff measures depth and distance perception

10. Perceptual Development
Auditory Perception
Auditory Discrimination present at birth
Can recognize mother’s voice at birth

11. Cognitive Development
Piaget’s Sensorimotor Period: Child interacts with environment using senses and mobility
Criticisms of Piaget: Ages of stages not universally accurate
Information Processing in Infancy:
Stage Development, i.e. Piaget
Gradual improvement of cognitive skills=Information Processing Theory

12. Language Development Acquiring Their Language
Acquisition follows universal sequence
Requires interaction between maturation and environmental reinforcement
Key Signs of Language Development
Crying, Cooing, Babbling, Single Words, Two Words, Phrases
Sounds to Words