Chapter 6 - Physical Development Flashcards
On average, how has birth weight changed by 6 months? By a year?
6 months = double
1 year = triple
How do body proportions change?
babies head:body ratio is much higher than an adult
What are the 2 common directions of development?
cephalocaudal = growth from the head down
proximodistal = growth from centre outwrds
When is the brain growth spurt? What is taking place?
last 3 prenatal months
+ first 2 years of life
brain weight increases dramatically due to production of so many neurons/synapses
What motor milestone occurs at 3 months?
neck holding
What motor milestone occurs at 5 months?
rolling over
What motor milestone occurs at 6 months?
sit in tripod fashion
What motor milestone occurs at 8 months?
sit unsupported
What motor milestone occurs at 9 months?
stand with support
What motor milestones occurs at 12 months? (3)
crawls well
walks but falls
stands without support
What motor milestones occurs at 15 months? (2)
walks alone
crawls upstairs
What motor milestone occurs at 18 months?
running
What motor milestones occurs at 2 years? (2)
walk up and down stairs
jump
Does all motor development happen at the exact same time/age for every child?
no
large timeframe in which it is normal for the child to develop skills
What are the 3 viewpoints on the sequence of motor development?
maturational
experiential
dynamic systems theory
What is the maturational viewpoint of motor development? Is it relevant?
unfolding of a genetically programmed series of events
no matter what you do, the same biological development pattern will occur
“necessary but not sufficient”
- there is a biological contribution but it is not enough on its own for the child to fully develop
What is the experiential viewpoint of motor development?
opportunities to practice are important
environmental relevance
evidence from early orphanage experience
What is the dynamic systems theory of motor development?
combines maturational and experiential
maturation provides foundation
- new skills will build on old
environment provides motivation
- goal driven
What are the basic units of the brain?
neurons
What is the role of glia?
produce myelin for myelination; producing myelin sheaths so neurons can fire faster or more smoothly
What is methylation?
genes turned on or off to change development patterns
What is synaptogenesis?
formation of synapses (connections) between neurons
What is the “use it or lose it” principle?
if synapses between neurons are not used, they will degrade to make room to strengthen others
aka synaptic pruning
When does the frontal cortex become fully myelinated?
not until early adulthood
What is brain plasticity?
brain is shaped by experience
done by synaptic pruning (removing parts you don’t use and strengthening those you do)
What is cerebral lateralization?
each hemisphere gets specialized
everything uses both sides though
What is the general pattern of growth leading up to adulthood?
rapid for the first 2 years
slows down across middle childhood, increases again at puberty
What are some causes/correlates of physical development?
overall: complex interplay between biology and environment
heavily influenced by hormones
adequate nutrition and exercise important
diseases can stunt growth
