Child Development Flashcards
neurodevelopment - overview
*proceeds in a sequential and predictable pattern that is intrinsically determined:
-cephalic to caudal
-proximal to distal
-generalized, stimulus-based reflexes to specific, goal-oriented reactions
*intrinsic (physical characteristics, temperament, wellness) and extrinsic (family, environment, SES, nurturing skills) forces produce individual variations
developmental milestones - definition
neurodevelopmental laws or sequences
categories of developmental milestones
1) motor
-gross motor
-fine motor
2) cognitive
-receptive language/language comprehension
-expressive language
-adaptive (self-help, problem solving)\
3) social emotional
goal of gross motor milestones
gain independent and volitional movement
primitive reflexes
*brainstem and spinal reflexes to specific sensory stimuli
*develop in gestation and persist into first months of life
*prepare infant for acquisition of specific skills
asymmetric tonic neck reflex (ATNR)
*the “fencing reflex”
*involves proprioceptors in the cervical vertebrae
*occurs with active or passive head rotation
*produces extension of arm and leg on face side and flexes the extremities on the contralateral side
moro reflex
*the “startle reflex”
*occurs spontaneously to loud noises or releasing a supine infants hands suddenly
*produces sudden extension and abduction of the upper extremities with hands open, followed by flexion of upper extremities to midline
positive support reflex
*occurs when infant supported around trunk and suspended and lowered to touch feet gently on flat surface
*produces reflex extension at the hips, knees, and ankles so infant “stands up”, completely or partially bearing weight
inhibition of asymmetric tonic neck reflex
*disappears by 4-6 months of age
*allows rolling over
inhibition of moro reflex
*interferes with head control and sitting equilibrium
*disappears by 6 months of age
*allows stability in sitting
inhibition of positive support reflex
*disappears by 10-12 months of age
*allows mature weight-bearing and standing
postural reactions
*develop after birth
*mediated at the midbrain level
*interact with each other
*work toward establishment of normal head and body relationship in space
*protective extension: allows infant to catch him/herself when falling forward, sideways, or backwards
*develop between 6-9 months
*then… infant learns to move into a seated position, then to hands/knees
gross motor milestones
*prone, rolling over, 4 points, seated, pull to stand, walk…
*notice crawling is NOT prerequisite to walking
*value of “Tummy Time” in prone skills
*goal - independent movement, freedom to use hands to explore
*further gross motor milestones, refinement in balance, coordination, speed and strength
gross motor milestone: prone on elbows
3 months
gross motor milestone: rolling back to front
5-6 months
gross motor milestone: pull to stand
9 months
gross motor milestone: walk alone
12 months
gross motor milestone: pedal a tricycle
30-36 months (3 years)
gross motor milestone: gallops
48 months (4 years)
gross motor milestone: skips
*60 months (5 years)
goal of fine motor skills
*use of upper extremities to engage and manipulate the environment
*self-help, play, work
grasp reflex
*hands grasp in response to touch
inhibition of grasp reflex
*disappears at 3 months
*then… reach clumsily, but voluntarily
-starting with palm on the ulnar side (5 months), then radial palm (7 months) to precise pincer grasp (12 months)
*voluntary release lends to ability to transfer objects
fine motor milestone: builds a tower of 2
15 months
fine motor milestone: builds a tower of 4
18 months
fine motor milestone: builds a tower of 6
24 months
fine motor milestone: draw a circle
3 years
fine motor milestone: draw a square
4 years
fine motor milestone: draw a triangle
5 years
motor red flag at 4 months
lack of steady head control while sitting
motor red flag at 9 months
inability to sit
motor red flag at 15 months
handedness
motor red flag at 18 months
inability to walk independently
cognitive development
*the foundation of intelligence
*includes problem solving, language, attention, memory, and information processing
*in infants, streams of development involved:
-problem solving
-language
*described by developmental theories
object permanence
*9-10 months
*understand that mother still exists when she is not visible
*something falls out of their sight and they know it still exists and usually looks for it
separation anxiety
*don’t know where their parent is
symbolic thinking
*child able to use one object to represent another
language
*a system of verbal, written, or gestured symbols used to communicate information or feelings
*components: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics
speech
*the physical production of spoken language
*components: articulation, phonology, voice quality, pitch, loudness, resonance, fluency, rate, rhythm
rule of fourths of speech intelligibility
*2/4 = 50% intelligible at 2 years of age
*3/4 = 75% intelligible at 3 years of age
*4/4 = 100% intelligible at 4 years of age
*note: this is to the unfamiliar listener (not mom)
expressive language
*involves representation of thoughts and ideas using culturally agreed upon signals
-verbal communication
-gestures
-manual signs
-facial expressions
-body language
-pictures
-diagrams
-written symbols
receptive language
the ability to understand communication
expressive language milestones - 2 phases
1) pre-linguistic (social smile, coos, laughs, raspberry, squeals, babbles) UNTIL 6-8 months
2) linguistic (immature jargon, 1st word, 2 word combo, 50 words, tells stories)
CANNOT GET FROM PRELINGUISTIC TO LINGUISTIC UNLESS YOU CAN HEAR
expressive language milestone: first word, besides mama/dada
15 months
expressive language milestone: 2 word phrase
24 months
expressive language milestone: 4 word phrase
4 years old
receptive language milestone: command with gesture
12 months
receptive language milestone: 1 body part
15 months
receptive language milestone: points to picture
18 months
receptive language milestone: 2 step command
24 months
language acquisition
*language skills, particularly receptive language, are the single best indication of intellectual ability
*50% of children with language impairments have reading learning disability
*HEARING is essential to language acquisition
*language EXPOSURE is critical
language red flag at 2 months
lack of fixation
language red flag at 4 months
lack of visual tracking
language red flag at 6 months
failure to turn to sound or voice
language red flag at 9 months
lack of babbling consonant sounds
language red flag at 15 months
failure to use single words (not mama or dada)
language red flag at 36 months
failure to speak in three-word sentences
social skills
*inherent drive to connect with others - share feelings, thoughts, actions
*attachment theory - as caregiver responds to cries/behaviors, infant gain confidence on caregiver’s accessibility and responsiveness
first social milestone
social smile
social milestones: joint attention
*quintessential social milestone:
-gaze monitoring -> shared gaze interaction (8 months)
-responds to name (9 months)
-proto-imperative pointing, to ask (15 months)
-shows objects (15 months)
-proto-declarative pointing, to show (18 months)
-sharing (18 months)
social milestone: pretend play
18 months
social milestone: parallel play
30 months
social milestone: cooperative play
3 years
development of emotional skills
*3 distinct emotions present at birth: anger, joy, fear
*affection and excitement (15 months)
*additional emotions appear (15 months): embarrassment, shame, pride
*notices when others are hurt (24 months)
*mask emotions (24 months)
*comforts others/empathy (4 years old)
social/emotional red flag at 9 months
doesn’t respond to name
why is it a red flag if a child does not respond to their name by 9 months
this is often the first sign of autism
