CHAPTER 7Physical Development of Infants

INFANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Growth refers to

changes in size such as weight or length.

Development refers to increases and changes in emotional, social, intellectual, and physical SKILLS.

INFANT PHYSICALDEVELOPMENT

PATTERNS

Head to footNear to far

Simple to complex

HEAD TO FOOT Movement of head starts prenatally. After birth, raise head to see objects. Then muscle control moves down to

arms and hands. Usually by age 1, baby’s legs and feet

have developed skills to begin walking.

NEAR TO FAR Development starts close to trunk (legs,

neck, arms, torso) of body and moves outward.

At first, babies wave arms when they see an object they want. Later they reach out and grasp object.

SIMPLE TO COMPLEX

Develop large muscles of the trunk first, then small muscles (like in the fingers).

Move from simple (rolling, walking, etc.) to complex (grasping and directing a crayon).

INFLUENCES ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Heredity (nature) Environment (nurture)

HEREDITY Definition: the physical makeup from the

parents.

Doesn’t mean person automatically inherits traits (Ex. Someone’s genes may give him the potential to be musically gifted but if never given opportunity to sing or play an instrument (i.e. nurture), the talent may never develop.

ENVIRONMENT

Includes influences such asNutritionAmount of stimulationHealthRelationships

NUTRITION

Affects physical G & D such as bone strength, brain development, and height

Not getting enough calories or necessary nutrients puts baby at risk for illness, delayed growth or even death.

STIMULATION

Critical to brain development. Need a world where all senses can be

used. Experiences should happen frequently and have variety.

Experiences are stored in the brain and connections are made (high chair = food)

Lack of stimulation can delay development in other areas.

Ex. Infants aren’t born with language skills. They must be exposed to language and encouraged to talk.

HEALTH

Healthy baby

eats well

Eating well

creates energy

Energy leads to different activities

Activities stimulate

brain, develop muscle

Activities cause hunger, require fuel from healthy

eating

RELATIONSHIPS Even babies can enjoy simple interactive play. Babies enjoy listening to music, clapping hands

together, hearing an adult sing nursery rhymes, etc.

Baby play promotes physical and brain development and social interaction.

Nurtures baby’s sense of security and well-being.

GROWTH DURING THE 1ST YEAR

Section 7-1 cont’d

QUICK FACTS Very few babies match the average

measurements on growth charts because children grow at individual rates.

WEIGHT AND LENGTH Weight gain is 1of the best signs of good

health in newborns. Newborns lose about 10% of birth

weight in first five days of life. Babies triple weight from birth to 1. Length increases 50%. Boys = weight slightly more and are

slightly longer than girls during babyhood.

Heredity more strongly influences height than weight.

BODY SHAPE Newborns – skinny arms and legs,

abdomen large, head may be elongated from trip through birth canal

Umbilical cord usually falls off within 3 weeks.

A baby’s head grows rapidly within the first year to accommodate the growing brain.

VISION First week – blurry Week 2 to one month

– 7-10 inches and 2 dimensional (like a picture), eyes may appear crossed at times (disappears after abt 4 months)

Month 1- 6 months – 3 feet and demonstrate depth perception (3D), eye muscles strengthen

6 months plus – clarity and sharpness of an adult

Babies prefer high contrast patterns

HEARING Develops before

birth By age 7 months,

babies recognize parents by voice

Language dev. begins by hearing, imitating, then understanding.

Prematurity or frequent ear infections can delay language acquisition

TOUCH Meeting

children’s needs with a gentle touch builds trust.

In the first year, babies begin to notice different textures (soft blanket, father’s scratchy beard, etc.)

SMELL AND TASTE Smell develops

after birth. Within 10 days of

birth, they can distinguish the smell of their mother from other people.

By 2 weeks, babies can distinguish some tastes.

Babies put things in their mouths as a way of learning about their world.

VOICE

Voice changes as lungs mature and throat muscles, lips, teeth, and vocal cords grow.

By age 1, most babies can imitate speech sounds and understand simple phrases.

MOTOR SKILLS

By 9 months, many babies are crawling. Between 10 and 12 months, many babies are walking a few steps alone.

At 7 mos, babies “rake” at objects. Between 9 and 12 months, they fine-tune their ability to self-feed, drink from a cup, and pick up objects with thumb and forefinger.

Gross motor skills Involve large muscles

like legs, shoulders

Fine motor skills Involves smaller

muscles like fingers

REFLEXES

The sucking reflex – stimulated when something, such as a bottle, is put in the baby’s mouth.

The rooting reflex - automatically turn and make sucking (rooting) motions with the mouth when the cheek/lip is touched. The rooting reflex ensures successful breastfeeding.

– instinctive, automatic responses, many of which help them survive the first several weeks of life.

HAND-EYE COORDINATION

Certain toys can help develop hand-eye coordination.

Essential for many tasks in life Eating Catching a ball Coloring pictures Tying shoes

By 1 year, most babies can pick up an object and put it in another place.

-Ability to move hands and fingers precisely in relation to what is seen

Section 7-2

Infant Care Skills

Handling Babies Newborn’s neck

muscles aren’t strong enough to support the head.

By 4 months, babies can hold their heads up without support.

Photo from Dipity.com

Shaken Baby Syndrome Can lead to mental

retardation, cerebral palsy, blindness, broken bones, neck injuries, or even death.

Also called Abusive Head Trauma

Pitches the infant's brain back and forth within the skull

Ruptures blood vessels and nerves throughout the brain and tears the brain tissue.

brain may strike the inside of the skull, causing bruising and bleeding to the brain.

Sleep Essential for growth

and development. Babies, children and

teens – sleep coincides with release of chemicals that contribute to growth.

Avoid pillows, fluffy blankets, and toys in bed with sleeping baby.

Sleep cont’d Babies should

be face up for safety.

Consistent bed time with a routine.

Experts recommend go to a crying baby and comfort without picking up.

Sleep Patterns Newborns =16 hours

(includes naps) 3 month olds = 14-15

hrs (longer sleeping at night plus naps)

1 year = 12 hrs (9-10 hrs of this at night)

Feeding Babies Year 1- baby’s basic source of nutrition

is breast milk or formula. Around 6 mos., introduce solid foods

such as watery cereal, strained fruits, vegetables, and meats.

8 mos = ½ formula/bm and ½ solid food 1 year = most nutrition from solid food Under 1 yr = no cow’s milk/hard to

digest Fruit JUICE promotes tooth decay/may

curb appetite…wait to 6 mos. and limit.

Breast vs. bottle feeding Breast

Contains all nutrients

Natural antibodies Germ free/easy

digest Get fewer ear and

respiratory infections, allergies

Less likely to develop asthma

Bottle Specially made to

meet needs Cow’s milk or soy convenient

Feeding Burping Doctors recommend

newborns be fed as much and as often as they want

Breast fed = 8-12x a day

Bottle = every 3-4 hrs

Typically at 12 lbs, babies no longer need a late night feeding because stomachs hold more

Try to burp twice Spit up is common

from time to time

WEANING Will show signs when ready Typically occurs between 9-12 mos. Signs

Playing while feeding Pushing away Showing a preference from eating from

the spoon

Solid foods Introduce each new food 4 days apart.

Makes it easier to identify trouble foods. 8-10 months = introduce finger foods

such as dry toast, cereal, small pieces of chicken, pasta, banana

Chapter 7

Section 3Infant Health and Wellness

Objectives TLW

Demonstrate how to bathe a babyDemonstrate how to diaper a babyDescribe the signs of teethingDescribe at least 5 important ways to keep

baby safe at home.Explain why checkups and immunizations

are important.

Bathing a Baby… Newborns have sponge baths until navel

heals. Portable baby tubs, large dishpans, or

sinks are great alternatives to large tubs.

By ages 2 to 3 months, babies should have baths 2-3 times a week.

Cradle cap – yellow, crusty patches on the scalp – can be treated by washing the baby’s scalp daily with mild shampoo. Do not use baby oil or shampoo excessively or it may become worse.

Diapering… Very young babies may need 12-15

diaper changes daily. Diaper rash – rough, irritated skin

caused by bacteria in the diaper.Severe- treat with medicated creamsMild – change diaper more frequently &

clean diaper areas wellAllow area to air out. No waterproof pants.

Diaper types… Disposable

Convenient, more sanitary, keep drierSensitivity, environmental waste

ClothEconomical, environmental friendlyTime-consuming

Diapering Steps… Teeth… Remove diaper and

clean the baby with wipes/washcloths.

Hold baby’s ankles together and slide new diaper underneath.

Dispose of used supplies.

Signs of teething With first teeth, wipe

with washcloth or baby’s toothbrush

At 6 mos., if local drinking water doesn’t contain fluoride, ask doctor about supplement.

Keeping Baby Safe… Keep floors clear of small objects. Keep all plastic bags away from infants. Do not leave babies alone in or near

water. Keep all poisons out of reach of children. Use safety covers on electrical outlets. Never leave vulnerable to animals, pets. Make sure sleepwear is flame retardant.

Regular Checkups… Pediatricians will do first checkup before

you leave hospital. Follow up visit within the next two

weeks. Visits at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months to

track baby’s growth and development. Immunizations are required for daycare

and school. Immunization causes the body to create

antibodies that will be present if the baby is exposed to a sickness. This will enable baby to fight off or get a milder case of the sickness.

Signs of possible illness… Irritability Lack of energy Constipation/diarrhea Nasal congestion Persistent coughing Rashes Vomiting Fever