1. Growth and Development of Infants
November 3, 2011

2. Growth and development
Do these mean the same thing?
Growth = changes in size
Development = increase in physical, emotional, social or intellectual skills
Both occur rapidly during the first year

3. Physical development Follows a sequence 3 basic patterns Head to Foot
Head take lead before birth and continues
Lift heads first, then can reach for objects, then walk
Near to Far
Starts at trunk and moves outward
Wave arms, then grab, then pick up
Simple to Complex
Hold bottle, eat with fingers, use fork

4. Growth - Weight One of the best signs of good health
Most lose a little after birth and then gain it back rapidly
Gain 1-2 pounds for the first six months
Second six months, 1 pound/month
Triples by the end of the first year
May differ depending on heredity, feeding habits, level of physical activity

5. Height Steady for the first year Average newborn is 20 inches
By 12 months, average is 30 inches
More strongly influenced by heredity than weight

6. Growth charts
Show average weight, height, and abilities of children at certain ages
General idea, but all have individual rates

7. Development Sight Improves rapidly Blurry at birth
1 week – can see objects 7 to 10 inches away
1 month – can see objects 3 feet away
3 ½ months – almost as good as an adults
Prefer patterns with high contrast and color red

8. Sight continued… Depth perception Hand-eye coordination
Develops in 2nd month
Able to recognize when an object isn’t flat
By 3rd month, prefer real objects over pictures
Hand-eye coordination
Improves with vision improvement
Gain increasing ability to move their hands and fingers precisely where they want
3-4 months: begin to reach for object

9. Hearing Develops before birth Respond to sounds while still in uterus
At birth, can tell the general direction sound comes from
Newborns respond to the tone of voice rather than words

10. Smell and Taste Smell Doesn’t develop before birth
Surrounded by amniotic fluid
Newborns respond to different smells
Within 10 days can distinguish smell of their mother
Taste
Develops rapidly
At 2 weeks, can taste the difference between water, sour liquids, sugar solutions, salt solutions and milk

11. Voice Understand many words before they are able to speak
Physically ready for speech by end of 1st year
Learn to speak at different rates
Most don’t speak until after 1st birthday

12. Teeth Begins at the 6th week of pregnancy
1st set of primary teeth “baby teeth” don’t being to appear until 6 or 7 months
Complete set by approximately 20 months
Teething can be painful
Give teething biscuits
Ice cube or something cold

13. Motor Skills Abilities that depend on the use and control of muscles
Much of their development is in this area
Requires intellectual, social, and emotional development, as well as physical
Each area’s development affects other areas
One of the 1st – able to lift and control head