PRE-SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT (Conception though early childhood):
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:
PREGNANCY and EMBRYOLOGY:
- Heredity: chromosomes and genes
- Chromosomal disorders: Down; Klinefelter, Turner, XXX, etc.
- Single-gene disorders: Phenylketonuria (PKU), Cystic fibrosis (CF), Sickle-cell disorder, G6PD deficiency,
Tay-Sachs disease, etc. (U.S. hospitals routinely test for these at birth)
- Continuous traits: Polygenes, also environmental effects
- Distinguishing nature & nurture: twin studies; adoption studies
- EARLY EMBRYOLOGY:
Reproductive system
- Fertilization
- Early cleavages
- Blastocyst and its implantation
- Formation of placenta
- Maternal health and nutrition; pregnancy risks:
- Important nutrients: Folate (EARLY! Before pregancy is determined!);
Iron, Calcium, Phosphate, Protein; Feed most cravings!
- Exercise, but not to exhaustion
- Weight gain is normal and healthy-- VERY BAD TIME TO LOSE WEIGHT!
- Hazards: maternal stress, poverty, maternal youth (teen outcomes mostly worse)
- Teratogens: Alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, environmental (occupational) pollution;
addictive drugs (baby usually born addicted & underweight, maybe brain-damaged)
- Prenatal testing: Amniocentesis, Chorionic villus sampling, Ultrasound
LABOR AND CHILDBIRTH (PARTURITION):
- Stages of labor:
- Dilation of the cervix
- Delivery of the baby
- Delivery of the placenta
- APGAR score:
- Appearance = color
- Pulse >100
- Grimace (cry face) when stimulated
- Activity = muscle tone resists extension
- Respiration rate
- Each criterion rated quickly as 0,1,2 then all added to give total on scale of ten
- Problems to watch for: high BP (preeclampsia); birth presentation; detatched placenta; umbilical strangulation
- Home birth vs Hospital birth
- Birth weight: intensive care if low birthweight or premature;
Premature babies need holding, touch stimulation, turning, oxygen, warmth
Caesarian section indicated if very large or unresolved presentation
- Postpartum depression in many women
- Infant mortality: U.S. has high rates among industrial nations, but nonindustrial nations much higher
INFANCY:
- Neonatal abilities: preference for shapes resembling faces, for female voices (esp. mother's), responsive when awake,
able to be calmed and comforted
Early perception
- Neonatal reflexes (more listed page 81): Babinsky (toes curl or fan out); blink; palmar grasp; stepping; sucking;
Moro (arm hug if startled); rooting (if cheek is touched, turns toward stimulus and sucks)
- Sleeps a lot. Nurses vigorously. Cries often.
- When awake & alert: 1. looking around and listening; 2. muscle activity, esp. limbs
- Swaddling (in many traditions)
- Sleeping: alone vs co-sleeping (varies culturally)
- SIDS and "back to sleep": higher risk if face down, if mother smokes, or if mother is depressed;
low serotonin levels; co-sleeeping is protective
- Breast-feeding has many health benefits (immune system; social bonding).
Resource: La Leche League
- Holding and calming the baby are important, but SUPPORT THE HEAD (up to 3 mo. or more)
severe injury (or death) possible from "shaking baby syndrome"
- Immunizations: Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR); polio; influenza ("flu") somewhat later
Early physical development:
- Growth; muscle and nerve development; learns motor skills (big muscles first)
- 1. Safety first! Childproof your house on hands and knees!
- 2. Baby needs exercise: room and soft toys for muscle activity (grabbing, holding),
things to hold onto and pull, climbing, supports to hold onto and learn to walk;
watch out for door hinges, sharp corners, etc. ALSO NOTE:
Restraint in a car seat or infant carrier may be required for safety, but once the need for
restraint has passed, give the child freedom to move around!
- 3. "Safe on floor": blanket on floor for "floor time"
- AT ANY AGE: always needs a safe place for age-typical activities!
- "Picky eaters": Don't insist; most will outgrow this; offer novelty and model it
- "Cafeteria" experiments in 1940s: most children chose balanced diets;
one even treated an undiagnosed vitamin deficiency with cod-liver oil!
- Growing children (of all ages) need good, wholesome food!
- Protein! Milk products (including cheese and ice cream) are essential throughout childhood! Meat, fish, and legumes (beans and peas) also. DO NOT RESTRICT.
- Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables! Whole grain bread and cereal products, too! (These all contain needed vitamins.) Juices are not as good as the fruits they come from.
- Go easy on these: Sodas, sugary products (candies), salty foods, highly processed "snack" foods (chips, etc.), cakes and pastries, fatty or fried foods. These are the foods
to restrict if your child is overweight! These foods can lead to life-long diabetes or obesity!
- Make sure children also get lots of exercise!
- Malnutrition is dangerous and can have lifelong effects
- Nervous system needs stimulation (safe toys, conversation, social interaction, read stories)
- Locomotor skills: gradual, page 97 shows typical sequence, but timing varies greatly.
Important to provide child with opportunities to try on their own
- Grasping: power grip vs precision grip: needs toys to practice
this includes: empty boxes, pots and pans, safe spoons; Cheerios, Fruit Loops
- Watch out for sharp cereal flakes, nuts, HOT DOGS (biggest choking hazard!)
- Perception: Tastes: sweet & fruity tastes usually preferred, but many cultural influences, individual differences
Hearing: easily soothed by soft rhythms, esp. familiar voices singing; pays more attention to voices, music, familiar sounds
Vision: color vision by ~3 months; visual cliff by ~7 months shows perception of depth
Neural & intellectual stimulation (enrichment):
- Always watch out for safety! Maintain visual contact!
- If parents ever disagree, always choose on the side of greater safety and precaution!
- Allow exploring, finding things, selecting and holding things:
soft toys, but also pots, pans, boxes, large jar lids, empty (clean) plastic containers
--but avoid sharp objects and choking hazards!
- Multiple caregivers (not just mother)
- Talk to child, SING (YOU, not a recording)
- READ ALOUD! --familiar songs and stories are best; colorful pictures help
Many studies show: reading is the best way to improve language, intellectual development
- TV is OK, but do it socially (sitting on or near adult, with occasional social commentary)
- Play imitation and turn-taking games
- Hidden faces & surprise ("Where's mama, where's mama? THERE she is!")-- object permanence
- Give choices: this or that? here or there?
Teach the concept that certain objects BELONG here (or "in the toy box")
- Teach self-reliance: child should become accustomed to making choices
"The more risks you allow your children to make, the better they learn to
look after themselves." --Roald Dahl, children's author
- ASK questions of child; encourage dialog
- Read early and often--
Never too early to start reading
Early social development:
- Temperament develops early:
- Extroverted: seeks stimulation
- Negative affect: angry, fearful, shy, not easily soothed
- Control of effort: can focus attention (and not be distracted), can self-inhibit
- Self-perception: recognizes self in mirror ~6 months
- Punishment is pointless before age 1.5: just remove safety hazards, etc.
- "Theory of mind" develops (age ~2 years):
- understands intentions and beliefs of others
- understands FOOLING others by hiding things, etc.
- understands PRETENDING (and enjoys "let's pretend" games)
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