Chapter 4; Part 2 Flashcards
Precious Moments After Birth:
Bonding, Oxytocin
Oxytocin causes the breasts to “let down” milk, and heightens the mother’s response to baby
First-time fathers also show hormonal changes that are associated with positive emotional reactions to infants.
But parent–infant relationship not dependent upon immediate bonding
Neonatal Reflexes
Involuntary movement responses to a particular stimuli which are present at birth and occur in a predictable way
Infant vs. Lifespan Reflexes
\Most “infant” reflexes do not last beyond the first year.
Infant reflexes may not completely disappear
– Might be integrated into new movements
Reflexes that endure are called “lifespan” reflexes
– Examples?
Why is the study of infant reflexes important?
- Dominant form of movement for last 4 months prenatally and first 4 months postnatally
- Primitive reflexes critical for human survival
- Foundation for later voluntary movement
- Appearance and disappearance helpful in diagnosing neurological disorders
Survival Value of Reflexes
Human infants are essentially helpless
Primitive reflexes occur during gestation or at birth, and most are repressed by 6 months of age
– Protection
– Nutrition
– Survival
Role of Reflexes in Developing Future Movement
Postural reflexes are related to the development of later voluntary movement.
– Reflexes integrated modified and incorporated into more complex patterns to form voluntary movements.
– Automatic movement is “practice” for future voluntary movements.
Reflexes as Diagnostic Tools
Moro reflex:
May signify cerebral birth injury if lacking or asymmetric.
Asymmetric tonic reflex:
May indicate cerebral palsy or other neurological problem if persists past normal time.
Primitive Reflexes
- Palmar Grasp
- Sucking
- Moro
- Asymmetric Tonic Neck
- Symmetric Tonic Neck
- Plantar Grasp
- Babinski
Palmar Grasp
Primitive Reflexes
Stimulus: Palm stimulated
Response: 4 fingers (but not thumb) close
Duration: 5 months gestation through 4 months postpartum
Concerns:
No palmer grasp may indicate neurological problems
One of the most noticeable reflexes.
May lead to voluntary reaching/grasping .
May predict handedness in adulthood.
Sucking
Primitive Reflexes
Stimulus: touch of lips
Response: sucking action
Duration: In utero through 3 months postpartum
Concerns: No reflex problematic for nutrition
Often in conjunction with searching reflex
Moro
Primitive Reflexes
Stimuli:
Suddenly but gently lower baby’s head
Hit surface beside baby
Response: Arms & legs extend
Duration: Prenatal through 4-6 months postpartum
Concerns:
May signify CNS dysfunction if lacking.
May signify sensory motor problem if persists.
May delay sitting & head control if persists.
May indicate injury to one side of brain if asymmetrical.
Reaction time increases with age.
Asymmetric Tonic Neck
Primitive Reflexes
Stimulus: Prone/supine position, turn head to one side
Response: Limbs flex on one side, extend on other side
Duration: After birth through 3 months
Concerns:
Facilitates bilateral body awareness.
Facilitates hand-eye coordination.
Also called ‘bow & arrow’ or ‘fencer’s’ position
Plantar Grasp
Primitive Reflexes
Stimulus: Touching the ball of foot
Response: Toes grasp
Must disappear before the baby can stand or walk.
Babinski
Primitive Reflexes
Stimulus: Stroke bottom or lateral portion of foot
Response: Great toe turns downward
Duration: Birth – 4 months
Concern: Test of ability to perform conscious/voluntary movement
Postural Reflexes
- Stepping
* Swimming
Stepping
Postural Reflexes
Stimulus: Infant upright with feet touching surface
Response: Legs lift and descend
Duration: After birth through 5–6 months
Concerns: Essential forerunner to walking.
Sometimes called walking reflex.
Developmental changes in reflex over time.
Swimming
Postural Reflexes
Stimulus: Infant held horizontally
Response: Arms & legs move in coordinated swimming type action
Duration: 2 weeks after birth through 5 months
Recognition of reflex led to popularity of infant swim programs
Infant States of Arousal
- Regular sleep
- Irregular sleep
- Drowsiness
- Quiet alertness
- Waking activity and crying
REM Sleep
REM sleep is vital for the development of the CNS
The Mysterious Tragedy of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
SIDS is the leading cause of infant mortality between 1 week and 12 months in industrialized nations.
Its occurrence tends to peak between 2–4 months of age.
Reducing Incidence of SIDS
– Quit smoking and taking drugs.
– Put babies to sleep on their backs.
– Remove bedclothes.
– Pacifiers are another protective measure.
Ways to Soothe a Crying Baby
– Hold on shoulder and rock or walk – Swaddle – Pacifier – Soothing sounds – Ride in carriage, car, swing – Massage – Combine methods – Let cry for short time
Think about it…
What if the soothing techniques don’t work?
Soothing techniques are less likely to work on babies with CNS damage and preterm babies.
Newborn Sense of Touch
Reflexive response to touch on mouth, palms, & soles.
Sensitive to pain
– Pain can affect later behavior.
– Relieve pain with anesthetics, sugar, gentle holding
Newborn Senses of Taste & Smell
– Prefer sweet tastes at birth
– Quickly learn to like new tastes
– Have odor preferences from birth
– Can locate odors and identify mother by smell from birth
Newborn Sense of Hearing
– Can hear a wide variety of sounds at birth
– Prefer complex sounds to pure tones
– Learn sound patterns within days
– Sensitive to voices and biologically prepared to learn language
Newborn Sense of Vision
– Least developed of the senses at birth
– Unable to see long distances, focus clearly
– Scan environment and try to track interesting objects
– Color vision improves in first 2 months.
Neonatal Behavioral Assessment
Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) evaluates a baby’s reflexes, muscle tone, state changes, responsiveness to physical and social stimuli (developed by T. Berry Brazelton).
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) is specially designed for use with newborns at risk for developmental problems.
Transition to Parenthood
Gender roles may become more traditional.
Sharing caregiving predicts greater happiness and sensitivity to the baby.
Postponing parenthood until the late 20’s or 30’s eases transition.
Easing the transition…
- Devise a plan for sharing household tasks
- Being sharing child care right aker the baby’s arrival
- Talk over conflicts
- Establish a balance between work and parenting
- Press for workplace and public policies that assist parents in rearing children
Parent Interventions
Pre-birth counseling can ease the transition to parenthood.
High-risk parents struggling with poverty or a baby with disabilities will benefit from intensive home interventions.
Low-income parents may require tangible support (food, money, affordable childcare).
Single Mother Families
40% of babies in U.S. are born to single mothers
Most nonmarital births are unplanned.
– Unprepared, adolescent teens
– Low-income women in 20s
– Exception is financially secure women ages 30–45
Discussion Question
Out of everything you’ve read and heard about today, what do you think is the most important aspect of parenting a newborn?
– Consider sensory integration, utilization of resources/programs, regular discussions with your partner, maternal/paternal health & well-being, the co-parenting relationship, assessing newborn health at home (sleep patterns, etc.)…
Body Growth
Baby gains 50% in height from birth to age 1.
– height about 32 inches
– weight about 22 lbs.
Baby gains 75% in height by age 2.
– height about 36 inches
– weight about 30 lbs.
Babies grow in spurts
– Could be spurts that happen in a matter of ______!
Babies gain “baby fat” until about ________, then get slimmer.
Girls are slightly shorter and lighter than boys, there are some ethnic differences.
Growth Trends
Cephalocaudal
– “Head to tail”
– Lower part of body grows (later/earlier) than the head
Proximodistal
– “Near to far”
– Arms & legs grow later than head, chest, and trunk
Cephalocaudal
– “Head to tail”
– Lower part of body grows (later/earlier) than the head
Proximodistal
– “Near to far”
From the center of the body outward.
– Arms & legs grow later than head, chest, and trunk
Infancy Individual and Group Differences
Weight and Height:
Girls girls
Skeletal Age
Black > other
Girls > boys
