CHAP 3 P1 Flashcards
Describe the overall physical growth of infants in the first few days of life.
Infants typically lose about 5 percent of their body weight as they eliminate waste and adjust to feeding.
How does birth weight change in the first year of life?
Birth weight doubles by 4 months and triples by 1 year.
Define body proportions in infants compared to adults.
At birth, the head is 25% of the body length, while in adulthood, it is 20% of the body length.
What are neurons and their function?
Neurons are nerve cells that store and transmit information.
Explain the role of dendrites in neuron function.
Dendrites are branching extensions that collect information from other neurons and undergo a period of exuberance during development.
What is synaptogenesis?
Synaptogenesis is the formation of connections between neurons, continuing from the prenatal period and forming thousands of new connections during infancy and toddlerhood.
Describe synaptic blooming and its timing.
Synaptic blooming is a period of rapid neural growth that occurs during the first few years of life.
What is synaptic pruning and its significance?
Synaptic pruning is the reduction of neural connections, strengthening those that are used, and is influenced by experience.
How does pruning affect brain efficiency?
Pruning reduces unused neural connections, thereby increasing brain efficiency.
What are the main parts of a neuron?
The main parts of a neuron include the cell body, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath, and synapses.
What is the function of the myelin sheath?
The myelin sheath insulates the axon, helping to speed the transmission of impulses between nerve cells.
How does myelin development progress during life?
Myelin development continues into adolescence but is most dramatic during the first several years of life.
Define the cortex and its role in the brain.
The cortex is the thin outer covering of the brain involved in voluntary activity and thinking, divided into two hemispheres and four lobes.
What is the primary function of the frontal lobe?
The frontal lobe is responsible for thinking, planning, memory, and judgment.
Describe the function of the parietal lobe.
The parietal lobe processes information about touch.
What does the occipital lobe do?
The occipital lobe processes visual information.
Describe the role of the temporal lobe in the brain.
The temporal lobe is responsible for hearing and language, located in front of the occipital lobe and between the ears.
Define lateralization in the context of brain function.
Lateralization is the process in which different functions become localized primarily on one side of the brain, such as language production being more active in the left hemisphere.
How does neuroplasticity benefit the brain?
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change physically and chemically, enhancing its adaptability to environmental changes and compensating for injury.
What is the typical sleep duration for a newborn?
A newborn typically sleeps approximately 16.5 hours per 24-hour period.
Explain polyphasic sleep.
Polyphasic sleep involves several sleep periods throughout the day instead of one long sleep period.
Define Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID).
SUID refers to deaths among infants less than one year old that occur suddenly and have no immediately obvious cause.
What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?
SIDS is identified when a healthy infant dies suddenly and unexpectedly, with inconclusive findings from medical and forensic investigations.
How many infants died from SIDS in 2017?
In 2017, 1,400 infants died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Describe a leading hypothesis regarding SIDS.
A leading hypothesis suggests that infants who die from SIDS may have abnormalities in the brainstem area responsible for regulating breathing.
What constitutes an unknown cause of infant death?
An unknown cause of infant death occurs when a thorough investigation is not conducted, and the cause of death cannot be determined.
How many infants died from unknown causes in 2017?
In 2017, 1,300 infants died from unknown causes.
List some reasons for accidental suffocation in infants.
Accidental suffocation can occur due to soft bedding, another person rolling onto the infant, wedging between objects, or strangulation from crib railings.
What impact did the AAP safe sleep recommendations have on SUID death rates?
Following the AAP safe sleep recommendations released in 1992, the combined SUID death rate declined considerably.
What was the major campaign launched in 1994 regarding infant sleep safety?
The major campaign launched in 1994 was the Back to Sleep Campaign, advocating that infants be placed for sleep on their backs.
How did mortality rates from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed change after the late 1990s?
Mortality rates from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed remained unchanged until the late 1990s.
Describe the trend in death rates from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed from 1998 to 2017.
Death rates from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed began to increase in 1998, reaching a peak of 24.6 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017.
How many infants died from accidental suffocation and strangulation in 2017?
In 2017, 900 infants died from accidental suffocation and strangulation.
Define the AAP’s stance on bed sharing as of June 2022.
The AAP updated its recommendations in June 2022, stating they are unable to recommend bed sharing under any circumstances.
