Chapter 4 Flashcards
By age two
Weight quadruples compared to birth weight.
Height increases by about 50%.
Cephalocaudal Principle
Growth occurs from head to toe (e.g., head grows first, followed by the torso, then legs).
Proximodistal Principle
Growth moves from the center of the body outward (e.g., infants develop control over their arms before their fingers).
In the womb the head makes up
up about 50 % of body length
At birth, the brain is about
25% of its adult weight
By age two the brain it reaches
75% of adult weight.
Synaptogenesis
Synaptic Blooming, is the rapid formation of new neural connections.
Synaptic Pruning
Unused neural connections are eliminated to improve efficiency
Myelination
Fatty substances (myelin) develop around nerve fibers, speeding up information transmission.
Plasticity
The brain’s ability to adapt to experiences and injuries, especially in early life.
Glutamate
The most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain.
Involved in learning, memory, and cognition.
Excess levels can cause excitotoxicity (seen in stroke or neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s)
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Important for muscle movement, learning, and attention.
Plays a role in the autonomic nervous system (regulating heart rate, digestion, etc.).
Reduced levels are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)
The main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.
Helps regulate anxiety, stress, and sleep.
Low GABA levels are linked to epilepsy, anxiety disorders, and insomnia
Dopamine
Involved in reward, motivation, and movement.
Imbalances are linked to Parkinson’s disease (low dopamine) and schizophrenia (high dopamine in certain brain areas).
Serotonin (5-HT)
Regulates mood, emotion, appetite, and sleep.
Low levels associated with depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders.
Many antidepressants (SSRIs) increase serotonin levels
Norepinephrine
Involved in alertness, attention, and the “fight-or-flight” response.
Low levels are linked to ADHD and depression.
Epinephrine (Adrenaline)
Plays a role in stress response and alertness.
More commonly acts as a hormone than a neurotransmitter in the brain.
Gross motor skills
are movements made with large muscles, like those in your legs, arms and torso. They are abilities that let us do tasks that involve large muscles in our torso, legs, and arms. They are the ones that develop first
Gross motor milestones
2-4 months: Infants lift their heads.
4-6 months: Roll over and sit without support.
6-10 months: Begin crawling.
9-12 months: Stand and take first steps.
12-18 months: Walk independently, climb, and explore.
Fine Motor Skills
are the tiny movements we make with our hands, fingers, feet and toes. thumb comes at about 9 months of age. They are slower to develop.
pincer grasp
Pincer grasp is the ability to hold something between the thumb and first finger. It is an important fine motor skill that develops in babies around 9 to 10 months old.
Fine Motor milestones
0-2 months: Reflexive grasp.
3-4 months: Voluntary grasping of objects.
6-9 months: Use of fingers to pick up small objects (pincer grasp).
12-18 months: Use of tools (spoons, crayons).
18-24 months: Increased coordination, scribbling, stacking blocks.
Newborns Visions
have poor visual acuity (~20/400), but vision improves significantly by 6 months.
By 3-4 months (Vision)
infants can perceive depth and color.
Newborns typically cannot see further than
8 to 16 inches away from their faces (which is about the distance from the newborn’s face to the mother/caregiver when an infant is breastfeeding/bottle-feeding).
Breastfeeding
Recommended exclusively for the first 6 months, providing:
Ideal nutrients for growth.
Immune system benefits.
Protection against infections and diseases.
Introducing Solid Foods
Begins around 6 months with pureed vegetables, fruits, and iron-fortified cereals.
food to Avoid
honey, cow’s milk, and choking hazards before 12 months.
Newborns sleep is
14-17 hours/day in short cycles.
Sleep gradually consolidates into longer nighttime sleep with fewer naps.
Safe sleep practices help reduce SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome):
Back sleeping position (supine).
No loose bedding, pillows, or stuffed animals.
Avoid overheating and secondhand smoke exposure.
Colic
Excessive crying, often due to digestive discomfort.
Teething
Begins around 4-7 months, causing irritability and gum pain
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Factor
Sleeping on the stomach.
Smoking exposure.
Soft bedding and overheating
