Your Logo

Prenatal Period

In this chapter, an attempt will be made to explain the major happenings during the nine months before birth, to emphasize the significance of the moment of conception, and to show what environmental and psychological factors affect the course of development.

How Life BeginsHow Life Begins

vagina, uterus, fallopian tube and ovaries testes, epididymis and vas deferens Union of sperm and egg

1. Many sperm try to penetrate the egg.

2. The first sperm through succeeds.

3. The outside of the egg swells, casting away the othe sperm. The sperm‘s nucleus seeks the egg‘s nucleus.

4. The 2 nuclei merge and chromosomes pair up.

5. The fertilized egg divides.

The fertilization process

Gestation PeriodGestation Period

260 days- Trimester:

1. Germinal

2. Embryonic

3. Fetal

Germinal Stage (Fertilization-2 weeks)Germinal Stage (Fertilization-2 weeks)

Timetable of Prenatal DevelopmentTimetable of Prenatal Development

Period of the Zygote (fertilization to end of second week)

The size of the zygote- that of a pinhead- remains unchanged because it has no outside source of nourishment.

As it passes down the fallopian tube to the uterus, it divides many times and separates into an outer and inner layer.

An outer layer later develops into the placenta, the umbilical cord, and the amniotic sac, and the inner layer develops into a new human being.

About 10 days after fertilization, the zygote becomes implanted in the uterine wall.

Embryonic stage- age 2 weeks-2 monthsEmbryonic stage- age 2 weeks-2 months

Develops into a miniature human being.

Major development occurs, in the head region first and the extremities last.

All the essential features of the body are established.

The embryo begins to turn in the uterus, and there is spontaneous movement of the limbs.

The placenta, the umbilical chord, and the amniotic sac develop.

At the end of the 2nd prenatal month, the embryo weighs, on the average, 1 ¼ ounces and measures in length 1 ½ inches.

Fetal Stage- age 8 weeks-birthFetal Stage- age 8 weeks-birth

Changes occur in the actual size of the parts already formed and in their functioning. No new features appear in this time.

Some internal organs are well enough developed to begin to function. Heartbeat can be detected by about the 15th week

The different internal organs have assumed positions.

Nerve cells increase rapidly in number. Fetal movements appear- rolling and kicking and

short or quick. By the end of 7th lunar month, fetus is well

enough developed to survive. By the end of the 8th lunar month the fetal body

is completely formed.

Fetal Development (adapted from Jane Beltran)Fetal Development (adapted from Jane Beltran)

First Lunar Month- Foundations formed for nervous system, genito-urinary system, skin, bones and

lungs.- Buds of arms and legs begin to form.- Rudiments of eyes, ears, and nose appear.

Second Lunar Month- Fetus markedly bent- Head disproportionately large, owing to brain development- Sex differentiation begins- Centers of bone begin to ossify

Third Lunar Month- Fingers and toes are distinct- Placenta is complete- Fetal circulation is complete

Fourth Lunar Month- Sex is differentiated- Rudimentary kidneys secrete urine- Heart beat is present

Fifth Lunar Month- Lanugo (fine downy hair covering a human fetus) covers entire body- Fetal movements are felt by mother- Heart sound are perceptible with fetoscope

Sixth Lunar Month- Skin appears wrinkled- Vernix caaseosa appears- Eyebrows and fingernails develop

Seventh Lunar Month- Skin is red- Papillary membrane disappears- If born, infant cries, breathes, but usually expires

Eight Lunar Month- Fetus is viable- Eyelids open- Fingerprints are set- Vigorous fetal movement occur

Ninth Lunar Month- Face and body have loose wrinkled appearance due to subcutaneous fat

deposit- Lanugo disappears- Amniotic fluid decreases somewhat

Kinds of BirthKinds of Birth

Natural, or Spontaneous birth- headfirst positionBreech birth- buttocks appear first, followed by the legs, and finally, the

headTransverse birth- the fetus is positioned crosswise in the mother’s

uterus. Instruments must be used for delivery unless the position can be changed before the birth process begins

Instrument birth- when the fetus is too large to emerge spontaneously or when its position makes it normal birth impossible, instruments must be used to aid in delivery.

Caesarean section- if x-rays taken during the part of pregnancy indicate that complications may result if the infant emerges through the birth canal, the baby is brought into the world through a slit made surgically in the mother’s abdominal wall.

Natural or Spontaneous Breech birth

Transverse birth Instrument birth

Caesarean Section

Your Logo

Infancy

Infancy is the beginning or early period of existence as an individual rather than a parasite in the mother’s body.

Adjustments of InfancyAdjustments of Infancy

Temperature Changes- there is a constant temperature of 100ºF in the uterine sac, while temperatures in the hospital or way home may vary from 60-70ºF

Breathing- when the umbilical cord is cut, infants must begin to breathe on their own.

Sucking and swallowing- the infant must now get nourishment by sucking and swallowing, instead of receiving it through the umbilical chord. These reflexes are imperfectly developed at birth, and the infant often gets less nourishment than is needed and thus loses weight.

Elimination- the infant’s organs of elimination begin to work soon after birth; formerly, waste products were eliminated through the umbilical chord

Indications of the difficulty of adjustment to postnatal lifeIndications of the difficulty of adjustment to postnatal life

Loss of weight- because of difficulties in adjusting to sucking and swallowing

Disorganized behavior- such as irregularities in breathing rate, frequent urinations and defecations.

Infant mortality- the rate of infant mortality during the first 2 days of postnatal life is high.

Physical developmentPhysical development

The head grows the fastest and matures the earliest, followed by the rest of the body downward. In addition, those parts that are closest to the center of the infant's body (e.g., the trunk) grow faster and mature earlier than do parts that are farther from the center (e.g., the hands). The physical structure of the brain develops rapidly as well.

ReflexesReflexesThe Moro reflex is a

normal reflex for an infant when he or she is startled or feels like they are falling. The infant will have a "startled" look and the arms will fling out sideways with the palms up and the thumbs flexed. Absence of the Moro reflex in newborn infants is abnormal and may indicate an injury or disease.

Neck Righting reflex

Evokes rotation of the body simultaneously with the course of the movement of the head.

Tonic Neck reflex

Consists of the extension of the arm and the leg on the direction to which the face is turned (fencing posture).

Here comes your footer Page 30

Sucking reflex

Elicited by stroking the lips, especially by the nipple.

Here comes your footer Page 31

Rooting reflex

Initiated by stimulating the cheek or area outside the lips and the infant directs its mouth to suck the stimulus.

Here comes your footer Page 32

Vocalization of infantsVocalization of infants

2 categories:

1. Crying- infant cry is the very first piece of human behavior which has social value.

2. Explosive sounds- newborn infant occasionally makes explosive sounds similar to heavy breathing. They are uttered without meaning and occur purely by chance whenever vocal muscles contract.

Cognitive FunctionCognitive Function

Jean Piaget believes that the development of intelligence begins during the sensorimotor stage of the infant. Immediate experience is derived through the senses, through the interaction of the senses and the environment. Objects and events seen for the first time are vividly remembered. Responses are defined by the object or event since the infant is unable to classify his experience. Piaget theorized that to an infant, an object or an event still exists even if it is no longer in sight. ion He further theorized on two operations by which the infant acts upon the environment; assimilation and accommodation.

Assimilation- from a regular succession of a previously learned behaviors

Accommodation- altering these behaviors

It is an instinct for infants to possess “curiosity” by being attracted to new objects and by integrating perceived relationships with their past experiences.

Here comes your footer Page 34

Emotions of the newbornEmotions of the newborn

Emotional reactions may be described as states of pleasantness and unpleasantness. The outstanding characteristics of the infants emotional makeup is the complete absence of shift of responses showing different degrees of intensity. Whatever the stimulus, the resultant emotion is intense and sudden.

Infants’ Social and Moral DevelopmentInfants’ Social and Moral Development

They start to become aware of their environment. Their tasks include listening, visual following and sucking. Their discovery of the people may be supported by his crying, smiling and vocalizing. These responses serve as signals which attract adults to be near the newborn.

Based on Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, the infant is in the first stage, the Pre-conventional stage which is characterized by obedience to being righteous on objects and events in order to avoid the punishment of pain, anxiety, and prohibition of independence.

Your Logo

Toddlerhood

Ages & Stages - ToddlersAges & Stages - Toddlers

When children learn to walk, they are called toddlers. Usually this term is applied to one and two year old children. The toddler stage is very important in a child's life. It is the time between infancy and childhood when a child learns and grows in many ways. Everything that happens to the toddler is meaningful. With each stage or skill the child masters, a new stage begins. This growth is different for each child. Children have their own timetable. During the toddler stage, most children learn to walk, talk, solve problems, relate to others, and more. One major task for the toddler is to learn to be independent. That is why toddlers want to do things for themselves, have their own ideas about how things should happen, and use "NO" many times each day.

Toddlers bursting with energy and ideas need to explore their environment. You need to make sure that they can explore in an environment that is safe for them. They want to be independent, and yet, they are still very dependent.

Intellectual DevelopmentIntellectual Development

Toddlers name familiar people and objects. Their attention span is short. They are curious. They use "NO" frequently. They point to objects that they want. They name body parts and familiar pictures. They imitate animal sounds. They use pronouns me and mine. They can hold a pencil and scribble. They combine two words to form a basic sentence. They point to objects that they want. They use objects for their intended purpose. They begin to include a second person in pretend play.

They express their feelings and wishes. They follow simple directions. They still have a very limited attention span. They use three or more words in combination. They can memorize short rhymes. They use objects to represent other objects. They can join in simple songs. They have trouble making choices, but they want to make choices. They begin to think about doing something before doing it.

Social Development in ToddlersSocial Development in Toddlers

Desire for Independence

Toddlers want to be independent. They may refuse being fed by a caregiver because they want to feed themselves. They may also try to get away from caregivers so that they can do some independent explorations of the world around them.

Playing

During the toddler stage of social development, the child primarily enjoys solitary or parallel play. Toddlers enjoying playing near other children, but do not quite know how to interact with one another yet. Toddlers often have difficulty sharing. Also, toddlers begin to start pretending during play times.

Anxiety

Toddlers often experience anxiety around unfamiliar people or other toddlers. They may also start to have anxiety about situations they believe to be unpleasant, such as going to the doctor's office. Toddlers may form an attachment to some type of object used for comforting these anxieties, such as a blanket or stuffed animal.

Temper Tantrums

During this stage of social development, toddlers may display an increased number of temper tantrums. Temper tantrums usually arise from frustration about being unable to do what they want to do or from their inability to communicate wants and needs verbally.

Awareness of Others' Emotions

Toddlers may begin to recognize the emotions of others around them. They may attempt to comfort a sad or crying child, for example.

Thank You