Chpt 3 (Body and Mind) [Infant] Flashcards
Body Changes, The Eager Mind, Language: What develops in the first 2 years, Survivng and Thriving
Axon
A fiber that extends from a neuron and transmits electrochemical impulses transmitted from other neurons via their neurons.
Babbling
An infant’s repetition of certain syllables that begins when babies are between 6-9 months. (Ba-ba-ba for example)
Cortex
The outer layers of the brain in humans and other mammals. Most thinking, feeling, and sensing involves the cortex.
Dendrite
A fiber that extends from a neuron and receives electrochemical impulses transmitted from other neurons via their axons.
Fine Motor Skills
Physical abilities involving small body movements (Fine=Small)
Gross Motor Skill
Physical abilities involving large body movements (Gross= Big)
Holophrase
A single word that is used to express a complete, meaningful thought.
(Dada, Dada?, Dada!)
Immunizations
A process that stimulates the body’s immune system by causing production of antibodies to defend against attack by a particular contagious disease.
Antibodies can be created either naturally (by catching/having the disease), by injection, or by drops that are swallowed, or by a nasal spray.
Language Acquisition Device (LAD)
Chomsky’s term for a hypothesized mental structure that enables humans to learn language, including the basic aspects of grammar, vocab, and intonation.
‘Little Scientist’
Piaget’s term for toddlers insatiable curiosity and active experimentation as they engage in various actions to understand their world.
Mean Length of Utterance (MLU)
The average number of words in a typical sentence (called utterance b/c children may not talk in complete sentences). MLU is often used to measure language development.
Motor Skill
The learned abilities to move some part of the body. (The word motor= Movement of muscles)
Naming explosion
A sudden increase in an infant’s vocabulary, especially in the number of nouns- 18 months
Neuron
One of billions of nerve cells in the central nervous system (CNS), especially in the brain.
Neurotransmitter
A brain chemical that carries information from the axon of a sending neuron to the dendrites of a receiving neuron.
Prefrontal Cortex
The area of the cortex at the very front of the brain that specializes in anticipation, planning, and impulse control.
Primary Circular Reactions
Sensorimotor Intelligence stage 1 & 2
The first of 3 types of feedback loops in sensorimotor intelligence, this one involving the infant’s own body. The infant senses motion, sucking, noise, and other stimuli and tries to understand them.
Secondary Circular Reaction
Sensorimotor Intelligence stage 3 & 4
The first of 3 types of feedback loops in sensorimotor intelligence, involving the infant an object or another person, as with shaking a rattle or playing peek-a-boo.
Sensorimotor Intelligence
Piaget’s term for the way infants think-by using their senses and motor skills-during the first period of cognitive development. (6 Stages)
Shaken Baby Syndrome
A life-threatening injury that occurs when an infant is forcefully shaken back and forth, a motion that ruptures blood vessels in the brain and breaks neural connections.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
A situation in which a seemingly healthy infant (2-6 months) suddenly stops breathing and dies unexpectedly while asleep.
Synapse
The intersection between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of other neurons.
Tertiary Circular Reaction
Sensorimotor Intelligence stage 5 & 6
Piaget’s description of the cognitive processes of the 1 yr old, who gathers information from experiences with the wider world and then acts on it. The response to those actions leads to further understanding, which makes this circular. “Little Scientist”
Transient Exuberance
The great but temporary increase in the number of dendrites that develop in an infant’s brain during the first two years of life.
Stunting
The failure of children to grow to a normal height for their age due to severe and chronic malnutrition
Wasting
The tendency for children to be severely underweight for their age as a result of malnutrition
Protein-Calorie Malnutrition
A condition in which a person does not consume sufficient food of any kind. This deprivation can result in several illnesses, severe weight loss, and even death.
Implicit Memory
Memory that isn’t verbal, often unconscious. Many motor and emotional memories are implicit.
Explicit Memory
Memory that can be recalled in the conscious mind, usually factual memories that are expressed with words.
Object Permanence
The realization that objects (and people) still exist when they can no longer be seen, touched, or heard
Language Development Milestones
Crying - Immediately
Cooing - 2 Months
Babbling- 6 Months
Gestures - 10-12 Months
First Words - 10-15 Months (usually 1st b-day)
Naming Explosion - 18 Months
Patterned Speech - 12-24 Months (1-2yrs)
Two-Word Utterances - 21 Months
Multiword- 24 Months (2yr)
Bed-Sharing
When two or more people sleep in the same bed.
Co-sleeping
A custom in which parents and their children (usually infants) sleep together in the same room.
Head-sparing
A biological mechanism that protects the brain when malnutrition disrupts body growth. The brain is the last part of the body to be damaged by malnutrition.
