Chapter 5 - Early Childhood: Body and Mind Flashcards
Center of gravity moves from the _____ to the _____
breast; belly
How much does the average child in a developed nation weigh at 6 years old?
40-50 pounds
How tall is the average 6 year old in a developed nation?
at least 3 1/2 feet tall
Almost every nation’s 4 year olds are more __________ than their two year olds
overweight
What are common deficiencies in a young child’s diet?
zinc, iron, calcium
Just Right
the tendency of children to insist on having things done in a particular way
ex: clothes, food, bedtime routine
The “just right” phase is common at age __ and fades at age __
3; 6
What percent of children have a food allergy?
3-8%
When should kids start brushing their teeth and visiting the dentist?
before age 3
What percentage of kids in the US have tooth decay?
33%
Plumbism
lead poisoning
Injury Control/Harm Reduction
Practices that are aimed at anticipating, controlling, and preventing dangerous activities; these practices reflect the beliefs that accidents aren’t random and that injuries can be made less harmful if proper controls are in place.
What is the leading cause of unintentional death from ages 1 to 4?
drowning
Primary Prevention
Actions that change overall background conditions to prevent some unwanted event or circumstance such as injury, disease, or abuse
Secondary Prevention
Actions that avert harm in a high risk situation
Tertiary Prevention
Actions, such as immediate and effective medical treatment, that are taken after an adverse event occurs and that are aimed at reducing the harm or preventing disability
The 2 year old brain is ___% its adult weight, while the 6 year old brain is ___% its adult weight
75%; 90%
Prefrontal Cortex
Area of cortex at the front of the brain that specializes in anticipation, planning, and impulse control
Myelination
Process by which axons become coated with myelin, a fatty substance that speeds the transmission of nerve impulses from neuron to neuron
Why does brain weight increase after infancy?
Myelination
Perseveration
The tendency to persevere in, or stick to, one thought or action for a long time
Corpus Callosum
A long, thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing for communication between them.
What is the left hemisphere of the brain known for?
Logical reasoning, detailed analysis, language basics
What is the right hemisphere of the brain known for?
Emotions, creativity, appreciation of arts
Lateralization
Literally, “sidedness,” referring to the specialization in certain functions by each side of the brain, with one side dominant for each activity. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa.
Limbic System
Major brain region crucial to the development of emotional expression and regulation; its 3 main areas are the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus (although many other areas of the brain are involved in emotion)
Amygdala
Tiny brain structure that registers emotions, especially fear and anxiety
Hippocampus
Brain structure that is a central processor of memory, especially memory for locations
Hypothalamus
Brain area that responds to the amygdala and hippocampus to produce hormones that activate other parts of the brain and body
Preoperational Intelligence
Piaget’s term for cognitive development between ages 2 and 6; includes language and imagination (which involved symbolic thought), but logical, operational thinking is not yet possible
Symbolic Thought
The concept that an object or word can stand for something else, including something pretend or not seen. Makes language much more useful.
Animism
Belief that natural objects and phenomena are alive
Centration
Characteristic of preoperational thought whereby a young child focuses (centers) on one idea, excluding all others
Egocentrism
Piaget’s term for young children’s tendency to think about the world entirely from their own personal perspective
Focus on Appearance
Characteristic of preoperational thought whereby a young child ignores all attributes that aren’t apparent
Static Reasoning
Characteristic of preoperational thought whereby a young child think that nothing changes. Whatever is now has always been and always will be.
Irreversibility
Characteristic of preoperational thought whereby a young child thinks that nothing can be undone; a change cannot be reversed
Conservation
Principle that the amount of a substance remains the same (is conserved) even when its appearance changes
According to Vygotsky, why do children learn?
Because their mentors present challenges, offer assistance, add crucial information, and encourage motivation
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Vygotsky’s term for the cognitive and physical skills that a person can exercise only with assistance, not yet independently
Scaffolding
Temporary support that is tailored to a learner’s needs and abilities and aimed at helping the learner master the next task in a given learning process
Overimitation
Tendency of children to copy and action that isn’t a relevant part of the behavior to be learned; common among 2 to 6 year olds when they imitate adult actions are irrelevant and inefficient
Theory-Theory
Idea that children attempt to explain everything they see and hear
What do children mainly ask about?
human behavior
Theory of Mind
Person’s theory of what other people might be thinking. In order to have a theory of mind, children must realize that other people aren’t necessarily thinking the same thoughts they are; that realization is seldom achieved before age 4
The average 2 year old knows ___ words while the average 6 year old knows ______ words.
500; more than 10,000
Fast-Mapping
The speedy and sometimes imprecise way in which children learn new words by tentatively placing them in mental categories according to their perceived meaning
Logical Extension
After learning a word, children use it to describe other objects in the same category, ex: a “Dalmation” cow
5 Strategies for Fluent Reading
- Code-focused teaching
- Book reading
- Parent education
- Language enhancement
- Preschool programs
Genes affect ________ language more than ________ language
expressive (written/spoken); receptive (heard/read)
Overregularization
Application of rules of grammar even when exception occur, making the language seem more “regular” than it actually is
Balanced Bilingual
Person fluent in 2 languages, not favoring one over the other
Montessori Schools
Schools that offer early-childhood education based on the philosophy of Maria Montessori; it emphasizes careful work and tasks that each young child can do
Reggio Emilia
Famous program of early-childhood education that originated in Reggio Emilia, Italy; it encourages each child’s creativity in a carefully designed setting
Head Start
Most widespread early-childhood education program in the US, begun in 1965 and funded by the federal government.
