Physical Development in Infants and Toddlers

1. Physical Development in Infants and Toddlers

2. Changes in Body Size • Body grows more rapidly • Growth occurs in small spurts • Length • 50% greater at age 1 • 75% greater at age 2 • Weight • Doubled by 5 months • Tripled by 1 year • Quadrupled at 2 years

3. Body weight • Changes in body weight is more dramatic • New born  2.7 – 3.6 kg. • 5 mths  body weight 2 x weight at birth) • 1 year old  3 x • 2 year old  4 x • 2-3 yr. old  rapid change in weight (spurt) • After 3 yr. old  slower rate • The first 6 mths  changes focused > on muscle growth. • 6-12 mths  dev. focused > on movement • 2 yrs – pre puberty  body weight increase 2.5 kg per year • Girls slightly shorter and lighter • Ethnic differences

4. Height • Child of same age may differ in height. • Baby  length increase 30% until 5 mths old • By age 1 yr  length increase to 50% & 5 years old  height doubles/triples • 2 yrs old - puberty  height increase 2-3 in. per year. • Adolescent  sudden changes in height & weight (growth spurt)

5. Body Fat/Appearance • Subcutaneous fat begin to form in the fetus about 6 weeks before birth. • First 9 mths  Sub. Fat continue to accumulate rapidly  making baby look rounded & filled up. • Gain “baby fat” until about 9 months After 9 mth, fat accumulation slows down. • 1 yr old – middle childhood  less fat accumulation Toddlers become more slender (slimmer) • Muscle tone increase • Helps maintain constant temp. • Muscle tissue increases slowly  Peaks in adolescence • Girls= more fat than boys

6. Body fat and muscle  contributes to the physical development and body structure: • Ectomorph  small/tall, slim, skinny • Endomorph  flabby, obese • Mesomorph tough, musculine

7. Head circumference • Baby • Brain mass of a newborn  about 2/3 of adult size • Head circ. of a new born  30-38 cm • 6 mths old baby  42.5 cm • Head circ/size increase  parallel to brain development. • Newborn head bigger than body size  due to rapid brain development during pre natal period. • 5 yrs. Old brain weigh about 90% of adult brain. • 6 yrs. old brain  equivalent to adult weight.

8. What is brain? • Body most vital organ. • Each person is born with over 100 billions brain cells (neurons). • Brains can send signals to thousands of other cells in the body at speed of more than 200 m/hr • Brain growth before & after birth is fundamental to future development.

9. …BRAIN Middle brain: Limbic System • Covers motivation, emotions, & long term memory, aggressive behavior, body temperature, hunger, nerve system activities, hormon secretion • Each part of the brain is very important in infuencing a child development  integration between child emotions and behavior. • Outer Brain: Cortex & neocortex • Divided into lobes/sections (folds) with specific functions. • Placement of ‘intelligence’ & higer mental process, learning, memory, thinking, language (last to develop) • Also control vision, hearing, inventing. • Brain stem • Contro process such as breathing, heartbeat muscle movement, kidney process, reflex behavior, sleep, arousal, attention, balance/movement etc.

10. 1 organ with 3 mini brains: • Brainstem (inner core) • Breathing, heartbeat muscle movement, reflex behavior • Limbic system • Covers the brainstem • Motivation, emotions, & long term memory • Cerebellum – control automatic movements & balance • Cerebral cortex • Higher mental process. • Learning, memory, Thinking, Language • Last to develop Structure of the Brain

11. Thin layer on the brain’s surface that include lobes or sections: Occipital lobe Process vision. Temporal Lobe Process hearing Parietal Lobe Process sensory stimuli Frontal Lobe Critical thinking & problem solving Frontal cortex  area of the cortex that controls personality and the ability to carry out plans Regions of the Cerebral Cortex

12. Brain and Neurons ...OTAK & NEURON • New born brain  100 billions brain cells (neurons) ready to operate  but the brain cells/neurons sre not ‘connected’ yet. • Neurons are cell bodies with nucleas, composed of DNA (which contains the cell’s genetic programming). • As the brain grows  the cell migrate to various parts  spread out to perform different functions  they sprout axons & dendrites. • cells.

13. Brain and Neurons ...OTAK & NEURON • First 3 years of life  children’s brain are actively building and developing connections between the neurons cells. • Connections are developed when the brain are actively receiving stimulus  process between receiving and sending impulses between the cells. • Through axons/dendrites send signals to other neurons & receive incoming message through connection called synapses.

14. The message transmission process from one neuron to the other is done through synap  with the aid of neurotransmiter– that moves through the gap between axon of one cell and dendrite of another . The neurons networking developed based on children’s experiences  where each experience leads to the development of new brain cells  as more informations gain. With proper stimulation, the synapses become stronger  information moves faster. Thus, enhancing their development is very crutial …Brain and Neurons

15. What is synapses? • Synapses is the nervous system connection link  ie the connection between nerve cells. • Connections  made through the stimulus  sending signals to the brain. • The brains define what is it/who we are? • With proper stimulation, the synapses become stronger.

16. Synapses allow nerve cellsto communicate with one another through axons and dendrites, converting electrical signals into chemicals ones.

17. Skeletal Growth

18. Skeletal Growth • Embryonic skeleton • Soft, pliable tissue (cartilage) • Beginning at week 6 • At birth babies have soft bones  cartilage. • Changes is bones structure: • Lengthen • Harden • Increase

19. a. Lengthened • Bones become longer, bigger & thicker • Bones will stop growing when it harden (reach maturity)

20. b. Hardened • At birth/baby  soft bones (cartilage)  water content is high. • During the process of ossification, bones harden  calcium deposited. • Eg. As baby skulls harden & fuse  Fontanel gradually close (about 2 years old). • Ossification occurs before birth and ends when a person reach maturity. • Nutritious food  calcium, phosphorous & vitamins helps ossification

21. c. Increase • Number of bones increases  parallel to its function • Eg. Number of bones in the wrist & ankle increases with age • 1 yr. 3 wrist bones; • adult  9 wrist bones

22. Growth of the Skull(Rapid during first 2 years) • At birth • Bone of the skull separate • These gaps are called fontanels • Sutures = seams of the skull • By 2 years  Gaps filled in

23. Motor Development

24. Motor Development • Inborn reflexes • Motor skill development • Gross motor • Fine motor

25. :Types of motor skill • Gross motor • Fine motor

26. Development of Locomotion

27. Motor DevelopmentGross motor Skill • Large movements • Eg. Crawling, Walking, Running, Jumping • Head proceeds arms and trunk • Improves dramatically during preschool years

28. Motor Development: Fine motor Skill • The ability to carry out smoothly small movements that involve precise timing but not strength. • Smaller movements • e.g. Reaching and grasping • Sequence the same • Large differences in rate of motor progress • Eg. Reaching, grasping, pinching, writing, drawing • Involves the coordination between hand control and vision (Eye-Hand coordination) • Reaching and grasping becomes more coordinated throughout infancy. • Toddlers prefer to use one hand and this preference becomes stronger during the preschool years.

29. Voluntary Reaching • Vital role to cognitive development • New ways for exploring environment

30. Fine motor skill development Steps in fine motor skill development:- • Prereaching (newborn) • Ulnar Grasp (3-4 months) • Changing/passing object from one hand to the other (5-8 mths) • Pincer grasp (9- above)

31. Reaching and Grasping • Pre-reaching (0-2 months) • Ulnar grasp (3-4 months) • Pincer grasp (9 months)

32. Reaching and Grasping • Prereaching (0-2 months) • Uncoordinated, primitive reaching • Palmer grasp (reflex grasp) • Hand grasping & movement without coordination. • Often fail to grasp object successfully  may make contact with object but fail to enclose it in their fingers • The grasp reflex should disappear in 2 -3 months

33. Reaching and Grasping • Ulnar grasp (3-4mth) • Clumsy grasp • Fingers close against the palm

34. Reaching and Grasping • Pincer grasp (9 mth) • Well-coordinated grasp • Oppositional use of the forefinger and thumb

35. Development of the Eye-Hand Coordination • Fine motor development involves the coordination between eye-hand control. • Progress in visual development  improves child fingers movement control

36. Early Experience and Reaching • Trying to push infants beyond their current readiness to handle stimulation can undermine the development of important motor skills. • As infants’ and toddlers’ motor skills develop, their caregivers must devote more energies to protecting them from harm.

38. Growth And Nutrition • Genes interact with environment, i.e. nutrition and living conditions,  general health and well-being • Well-fed, well-cared-for children grow taller and heavier than less well nourished and nurtured children • Better medical care, immunization and antibioticsbetter health

39. Influences on Early Growth • Heredity • Nutrition • Breast v. Bottle Feeding • Malnutrition • Emotional Well-Being • Problems can cause Failure to Thrive

40. Growth And Nutrition • Children grow faster during the first years, especially during the first few months. • This rapid growth rate tapers off during the second and third years

41. Growth And Nutrition • Nourishment • Breast milk is almost always the best food for newborns and is recommended for at least the first 12 months • Parents can avoid obesity and cardiac problems in themselves and in their children by adopting a more active lifestyle for the entire family--and to breastfeed their babies

42. Benefits of Breastfeeding • Correct fat-protein balance • Nutritionally complete • More digestible • Better growth • Disease protection • Better jaw and tooth development • Easier transition to solid food

43. Keeping Infants and Toddlers Safe • Safe toys • Report unsafe toys • Childproofing • Continuous monitoring • Car seat

44. Milestone Infant & Toddlers

45. Milestones of Motor Development

46. By 3 MTHS OLD: MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • lift head when held at your shoulder • lift head and chest when lying on his stomach • turn head from side to side when lying on his stomach • follow a moving object or person with his eyes • often hold hands open or loosely fisted • grasp rattle when given to her • wiggle and kick with arms and legs

47. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 6 Mths Old: • hold head steady when sitting with your help • reach for and grasp objects • play with his toes • help hold the bottle during feeding • explore by mouthing and banging objects • move toys from one hand to another • shake a rattle • pull up to a sitting position on her own if you grasp her hands • sit with only a little support • sit in a high chair • roll over • bounce when held in a standing position

48. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT By 12 mths old • drink from a cup with help • feed herself finger food like raisins or bread crumbs • grasp small objects by using her thumb and index or forefinger • use his first finger to poke or point • put small blocks in and take them out of a container • knock two blocks together • sit well without support • crawl on hands and knees • pull himself to stand or take steps holding onto furniture • stand alone momentarily • walk with one hand held • cooperate with dressing by offering a foot or an arm

49. By 18 months: MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • like to pull, push, and dump things • pull off hat, socks, and mittens • turn pages in a book • stack 2 blocks • carry a stuffed animal or doll • scribble with crayons • walk without help • run stiffly, with eyes on the ground

50. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 2 years old: • drink from a straw • feed himself with a spoon • help in washing hands • put arms in sleeves with help build a tower of 3-4 blocks • toss or roll a large ball • open cabinets, drawers, boxes • operate a mechanical toy • bend over to pick up a toy and not fall • walk up steps with help • take steps backward