Ch. 7 Physical development of infants

1. Ch. 7 Physical development of infants

2. 7.1Infant Growth & Development

3. Patterns of Physical Development • Growth refers to changes in size (weight & length) • Development refers to increases and changes in physical, emotional, social, or intellectual skills • Physical Development follows three basic patterns: • Head to foot • Near to far • Simple to complex

4. Head to Foot • This pattern starts during the prenatal stage when the baby’s head takes the lead in development. • The pattern can be seen after birth through the increasing control that babies gain over their body. • Babies first develop some control of head movement. • Example: raising head to see an object • Control of muscles then moves down the body to the arms and hands.

5. Near to Far • This means that an infant’s development starts close to the trunk of the body and moves outward. • First, babies wave their arms when they see something they want; they later develop more precise hand and finger control to grasp an object with their fingers.

6. Simple to Complex • Babies first develop their large muscle groups • Legs, neck, arms, torso • As they strengthen and gain control over these muscles they learn to do increasingly complex tasks. • Controlling their head, rolling, reaching, crawling, walking

7. Influences on growth & development • Developmental Milestones are key skills used to check a child’s progress • Heredity • Genes from parents shape & influence a person’s physical characteristics along with intellectual potential, and artistic abilities. • Nutrition • Proper nutrition fuels development. Research has shown that nutrition affects many aspects of physical development such as bone strength, brain development, and height.

8. Health – A healthy baby is: • More likely to eat well and have energy to be active • More likely to have varied experiences that stimulate the brain and aid in muscle development • An infant with poor health is at risk of falling behind developmentally. • Experiences • Brain development is linked to the quantity and variety of experiences a child has. • Failure to achieve normal brain development during infancy can have lifelong affects

9. Environment • A stimulating environment is one in which the baby has a wide variety of things to see, taste, smell, hear, and touch; it enhances brain development. • Example: infants aren’t born with language skills; connections are forming in the brain during the first few months of life as babies are exposed to language. If they are not encouraged to speak during this time normal language development may be delayed

10. Growth during the 1st year • Growth charts show the average weight and height of girls and boys at various ages • Children grow at their own rate, so doctors focus on a steady pattern of growth rather than just one measurement. • Weight gain is one of the best signs of good health. • A healthy baby gains 1-2 pounds each month during the first 6 months; 1 pound per month the 2nd half of the first year. • The average weight of a 1 year old is 20-22 pounds. • Boys tend to weigh slightly more than girls

11. In the first year, doctors talk about length rather than height because babies are measured lying down. • The average newborn measures 20” long • The average 1 year old is about 30” long • Heredity more strongly influences height than weight

12. Body Shape • Newborns hold themselves in a tightly curled position • Gradually they stretch out their arms & legs • Their legs and feet generally straighten out over the first 6 months • They look chubby around 3 months, but lose that look as they grow longer and become more active • Proportion • Refers to the size relationship between different parts of the body

13. Development during the 1st year • Vision • A newborn’s vision is blurry, but within a week they can focus on objects within 7-10 inches away. • By one month, babies can focus on objects as far as 3 feet away. • By 6 months, their eyesight reaches the clarity and sharpness of the adult level. • Depth perception – the ability to perceive objects that are 3-D.

14. Hearing • develops even before birth • In the womb a soothing, loving voice calms them and a loud angry voice alarms them. • Touch • Infants rely on touch to teach them about their environment • Smell & Taste • Within 10 days a newborn can distinguish their mother from another person by smell. • Sense of taste develops rapidly • Even at this early age, babies show a preference for sweet tastes

15. Voice • A newborn’s cry is shrill, but it softens as the baby’s lungs mature. • The physical growth of the throat muscles, tongue, lips, teeth, & vocal cords make speech development possible.

16. Motor Skills • Reflexes – instinctive, automatic responses such as sucking • Gross motor skills involve the large muscles of the body (legs, shoulders) • Fine motor skills involve the smaller muscles (fingers)

17. Reflexes • Sucking Reflex • Rooting Reflex • Grasp Reflex • Startle Reflex • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjnQhno3LA4

18. By 1 month babies can lift their head when placed on their stomach • By 3-4 months they can lift their chest • By about 9 months the infant is crawling

19. Tracking Infant Development • 7-8 • 3-4 • 5-6 • 1 • 11-12 • 3-4 • 9-10 • 5-6 • 2 • 11-12 • 7-8 • 11-12 • 9-10 • 5-6 • 7-8

20. 7.2 Infant Care Skills

21. Handling Babies • Always supporttheir head • When lifting a newborn, one hand should be under their lower back & bottom, and one hand supporting their head & shoulders • Hold the baby upright, cradled in the curve of your arm so that your arm is supporting their head & neck • When holding against your chest, hold the baby so that he peeks over your shoulder • When putting a newborn down, bend over keeping the baby close to your chest until the baby’s body is resting on a surface that can support his or her body.

22. Shaken Baby Syndrome • Safer ways to handle stressful, crying babies: • Put the baby down in a safe place, go into another room and take a deep breath to calm down • Ask a friend or relative to care for the baby for a few hours • Call someone and talk about the problem • Call a parenting hotline

23. Ensuring Adequate Sleep • The amount of time a baby spends sleeping decreases considerably during the first year. • A newborn may sleep a total of 16-22 hours a day. • By one year, a baby sleeps about 12 hours a day

24. Feeding Babies • Mealtime is about more than just providing nutrients. It is a time to enhance learning and practice skills. • During the first year, a baby’s main source of nutrition comes from formula or breast milk. • Babies are not introduced to cow’s milk until the baby is at least 1 year old.

25. Advantages of Breast Milk • Contains all the nutrients a baby needs • Contains antibodies (substances produced by the body to fight off germs) • Germ-free & easy to digest • Breast-fed babies get fewer ear infections, respiratory infections, & allergies

26. The WHO encourages mothers to breast feed for at least one year. • Newborns’ schedules are unpredictable, but a pattern emerges by the 2nd or 3rdmonth,and the baby will eat about every 3-4 hours. • When the baby reaches about 12 pounds he or she usually sleeps through the night.

27. Bottle Feeding Guidelines • If using a powdered or concentrated formula mix it with sterile bottled water or water that has been boiled. • Bottles should be washed in a dishwasher or with hot, soapy water. • Bottles can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator. • To warm a bottle, let it sit in a pan of warm water until the formula is lukewarm. Or use an electric bottle warmer.

28. Bottle Feeding Guidelines • Test the temperature of the formula by dripping a small amount on your wrist. • Never use a microwave to heat formula • While feeding, hold the baby close in a semi-upright position. • Propping the bottle: • Deprives the baby of important physical contact • Leads to an increased risk of ear infections • Babies should not be put to bed with a bottle because the milk can pool around the gums and cause decay in developing teeth.

29. Burping • Burp the baby at least twice during each feeding • Find the most comfortable position to burp a baby • Pat the baby on the back to induce the burp • Protect your clothing • Remember that it is normal for a baby not to burp each time.

30. Weaning – changing from the bottle or breast to a cup; this is an important sign of a baby’s increasing independence. • Solid foods are typically introduced around 4-6 months. • Usually cereal is the first solid food. • New foods should be introduced one at a time, at least 4 days apart in case of any allergies.

31. Self-feeding usually begins around 8-10 months. • “Finger foods” encourage self-feeding: • dry toast, cereal pieces, bite size chicken, cooked pasta, chunks of banana • Babies will not become “spoon experts” until 12-18 months.

32. Nutritional Concerns • For proper nutrition babies need: • Enough calories to provide for activity and rapid growth • Foods that provide key nutrients • Adequate amounts of liquid • Malnutrition – inadequate nutrition, which during infancy can cause lasting physical problems • Poor nutrition is linked to poor brain development which can lead to learning difficulties

33. Allergies • Allergy – oversensitivity to a particular common substance that is harmless to most people • People may have an allergic reaction when they eat, breathe in, are injected with, or touch the thing they are allergic to. • Mild allergy reaction – puffy, itchy eyes • Severe allergy reaction – anaphylactic shock (life-threatening, makes it difficult to breathe) • Signs of allergy in a baby: excessive fussiness, severe vomiting, 8+ water stools

34. Dressing a baby • Babies lose body heat more easily than adults do, but are also sensitive to overheating. • Pediatricians recommend dressing babies in one more layer of clothing than an older child or adult would wear. • When babies begin to crawl they need more durable clothes that allow for movement. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aygB5ZM3Ejk

35. 7.3, Infant Health & Wellness

36. Bathing Baby • Gather everything needed ahead of time • Test the water temperature with your elbow • Wash the baby’s face first • Wash & rinse the baby’s hair • Wash the baby’s body • Dry the baby really well • Cradle Cap – a skin condition known for yellowish, crusty patches on the scalp

37. Diapering a Baby • Newborns may need diaper changes 12-15 times each day. • Diaper rash is a common problem. Symptoms include patches of rough irritated skin in the diaper area • Mild cases of rash can be treated by changing the diaper more frequently & using a mild cream (Desitin)

38. Diapering Disposable Diapers Cloth Diapers • More convenient • More sanitary • May cause a rash on a baby with sensitivities • Add to environmental waste • Most economical choice (if washed at home) • More environmentally friendly

39. Diapering Costs for 1 year Disposable Cloth • $0.17 per diaper • avg. = 8/day • 365 x 8 = 2920 • .17 x 2920 = $496.40 • $17.95 per diaper • $20 for 6 inserts • 17.95 x 8 = $143.60 • 20 x 3 = $60 • Total cost = $203.60

40. Baby’s Teeth • Teething refers to the process of the teeth pushing their way through the gums. The gums around the new teeth swell and become tender. • During teething a baby may become cranky, fuss during meals, drool a lot, develop a low-grade fever, want to chew on something hard.

41. Infant Safety Concerns • Choking • Suffocation • Water • Falls • Poisoning • Burns • Sun • Animals • Clothing

42. Regular Checkups • A pediatrician or neonatologist at the hospital will perform a thorough check of the newborn within 1 day of birth. • A follow-up visit usually occurs 2-3 days after birth • Additional checkups will be scheduled at 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months to track growth & development, thoroughly examine the baby, and respond to parent’s questions/concerns.

43. Some checkups include immunizations(contain a small amount of a disease so that the body is able to build resistance to the disease) • The most common way to immunize against a disease is with a vaccine (injection). • State regulations and schools require that children have certain immunizations before being admitted to a child care facility or school.

44. MS Child Care Requirements