Chapter 9 - Biosocial Preschool Flashcards
The development in early childhood is influenced by the same epigenetic factors that were influential in infancy:
- Biologically driven: experience-expectant
- Socially guided: experience-dependent
Between the ages of 2 and 6, children grow steadily ___ and gradually ___
taller, slimmer
Radical change in the proportion between ages 2 and 6: lower body gets ___ and fat turns to ___.
Center of gravity ___ => enabling swinging, gymnastics etc.
longer, muscle
lowers
BMI (body mass index) lower at - years than any other time.
5-6
New shape & abilities occur as weight and height increases: Posture and balance improve, resulting in gains in ___ coordination.
motor
A typical child gains . cm in height & about _ kg in weight each year.
7.5 cm, 2 kg
By the end of the preschool years, a typical 6 year old Is at least __ cm and weighs between _ and _ kg. Has ___ like body proportions (legs constitute about half the total height).
106 cm, 18 and 22 kg
adult
A typical 6 year old starts to lose their ___ ____ during this period.
primary teeth
What does it mean to say physical growth is an asynchronous process?
Different body systems have their own timed patterns of maturation.
Biosocial factors: entailing the interaction or combination of social and biological factors.
Genetic background (e.g., ethnicity) Health care
Nutrition
SES
Individual differences within ethnic groups _ individual differences across ethnic groups
>
The quality and the quantity of nutrition is important for:
Bodily growth
Brain growth
Building an immune system
Growth is ___ during early childhood, children need ___ calories per kilogram of body weight; consequently, their appetites are smaller.
slower, fewer
Low income correlated with _____
malnourishment
Overfeeding of children or low quality feeding is the major cause of the global epidemic of adult heart disease and ___.
diabetes
A common problem among American families of all social classes is children’s overindulgence in sweets, which spoil their appetite for good foods and cause ___ ____
tooth decay
harms permanent teeth
jaw malformation which might affect speech and overall health.
During childhood, the ___ develops faster than any other part of the body.
brain
Between ages 2 and 6, the brain grows from __ percent to __ percent of its adult weight.
75, 90
Myelination
process that insulates the axons of neurons and speeds transmission of neural impulses
Myelination enables the child to think and react much ___ than the toddler can.
quicker
What accounts for this rapid brain growth?
Rapid increase in new communication pathways.
Coordination of sensory perception, thoughts and actions.
Information-processing capacity is developin
Lateralization
The specialization of the two sides of the body and brain is called lateralization (prompted by genes, prenatal hormones, and early experiences).
Left hemisphere -
Language: around 2 yrs.
Right hemisphere -
Recognition of visual shapes: 4- 5 yrs.
All thinking requires ___ sides of the brain!
both
At about the age of 5, children show important gains as a result of growth and myelination in the ____ ____, a band of nerve fibers connecting the right & left hemispheres of the brain.
corpus callosum
The final part of the brain to reach maturity is the ____ ____ (executive brain)
prefrontal cortex
two signs of an undeveloped prefrontal cortex are _____ and _____, the tendency to stick to a thought or action for a long time.
impulsiveness and perseveration
Perseveration
repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence of a stimulus
How old does a child have to be when they can start to change form task to task?
4 yrs
Amygdala
A tiny part of the brain that registers emotions (positive and negative), particularly fear and anxiety.
Hippocampus
Part of the brain that is a central processor of memory, especially the memory of locations.
Hypothalamus
A brain area that controls the the functioning of the endocrine system by responding to the signals from amygdala and hippocampus to produce hormones that activate other parts of the brain and body.
HPA Axis? What is it responsible for?
Involves the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands.
This complex system is responsible for effectively handling stress by regulating the production of cortisol, neurotransmitters and key hormones.
What happens when the HPA axis is not functioning properly?
When the HPA axis is not functioning correctly, a variety of neurological symptoms develop, such as anxiety, depression, intolerance to stress, suicidal ideation, sleep disturbance, and mood disorder
The myelination of the corpus callosum and lateralization of the brain permit better ___ coordination.
physical
Gross motor skills
The abilities required in order to control the large muscles of the body for walking, running, sitting, crawling, jumping, throwing etc.
- Need hand- and foot-eye coordination.
- Sociocultural theory: Learned best from other children.
Fine motor skills
Skills involving control of the small muscles of the body (fingers, hands, and arms).
- Need two hands, incorporating both sides of the brain.
- Encouragement by activities; crafts, puzzles, building
blocks, engagement in everyday domestic activities.
Motor skills are mostly equal in boys and girls at this stage, except that boys have more ___ ____ and girls have greater ____.
forearm strength
flexibility
Child’s artwork reflects their unique ____ and ____.
perception and cognition
Factors related to childhood injuries:
What is the strongest risk factor of all?
- Immaturity of the prefrontal cortex
- Risk-taking (especially boys)
- Irritability, inattentiveness, and negative mood
- Poverty and low parental education are strongly associated with injury deaths.
The strongest risk factor of all is low Socioeconomic status (SES)!
Childhood injuries can be reduced through:
Legislation
Improvement of the physical environment
Public education
Steps to injury control..
Think prevention -> Think protection -> Analyze injuries -> Advocate safety
Three levels of prevention for avoidable injuries
- Primary prevention focuses the overall situation to be
structured to make injuries less likely.
-> e.g., Sidewalks and overpasses - Secondary prevention averts harm in high risk situations, such as stopping a car before it hits a pedestrian.
- > e.g., salt on roads, crossing guards
- Tertiary prevention begins after the injury, limiting the damage
it causes.
-> e.g., emergency room procedures