DevelopmenDevelopment During t During

the First Year the First Year of Lifeof Life

DevelopmenDevelopment During t During

the First Year the First Year of Lifeof Life

Weight Gain• Healthy babies

gain 1-2 lbs the first 6 months

• They gain about a pound per month during the last half of the first year

Height•The average

height by one year is about 30 inches.

Body Proportions

• Compared to adult proportions:– A baby’s head and

abdomen are LARGE

– A baby’s legs and arms are SMALL

Your Child May Have a Hearing Problem If

He/She is…•Not startled by a sharp clap•Never turns toward signs•Not awakened by loud noises

Your Child May Be Teething if…

•They do any of the Following:–Cranky–Restless and Wakeful–May Refuse Food –May Drool Excessively

Bottom Front Teeth Are First to Come In

Physical Development

proceeds from:

•head to foot (cephalo-caudal)

First baby’s lift their heads, then they learn to roll over

Physical Development Proceeds from:

•Near to Far (Proximal-distal)Babies are able to

scoot their entire body to an object, wave at it, grab it, pick it up

Motor skills—abilities that depend upon the use and

control of muscles

• Gross Motor skills are related to large muscles of the body

Physical Development proceeds from…

Simple to Complex

Babies go from being fed, to eating with their own hands

Or feet

Fine Motor Skills• Related to the small muscles of

hands and fingers• Some examples of fine motor skills

are coloring and drawing

Locomotion

• A child has locomotion when it is able to move from one place to another

Manipulation

• The ability to use hands and fingers to hold and grasp objects

Handling a newborn

• It is important to remember that neck muscles are not developed, therefore, the head must be supported

Babies will cry because he/she…

• Wants to be held• Has a soiled diaper• Is ill• Is hungry

Ways to comfort a baby

• Sound—sing or talk to them; music• Motion—rocking chair, car or

stroller• Touch—hold or cuddle them, rub or

pat their back.Of course any combination of these

methods work well.

Newborn’s eyes and vision

• Stare seems blank and uncomprehending

• Eyes blink separately of look in different directions

• There are no tears at first

Sense of smell• A baby becomes sensitive to odors

during the first few days of life

Shaken baby• Shaking a baby younger than two

years old creates a high risk of severe bleeding in the brain

Feeding Baby

• Solid food should be introduced between the 6th to the 8th month

• Never Prop bay’s bottle:– Milk can gush into the mouth– Leads to digestive problems and ear

infections– Cause of “Bottle Mouth Syndrome”

Feeding Baby cont.• Bottle-fed babies are more likely to be

overfed, as parents are tempted to urge the baby to “finish the bottle”.

• Babies will begin to eat with their fingers at 8 to 10 months old.

• Babies do not need to be put on low-fat diets or worry about cholesterol.