Health Promotion of the Infant and Family

Question 1

Define infancy.

Answer 1

Infancy is defined as birth to 12 months

Question 2

Describe how the weight of a child changes during infancy.

Answer 2

• Time of rapid growth and development
  ~ Birth weight doubles by age 6 months of age
  ~ Triple birth weight by 1 year of age

Question 3

Describe primitive reflexes of infants.

Answer 3

Infants are born with primitive reflexes that are involuntary motor responses that are controlled by the central nervous system and essential for survival.

Question 4

How is CNS dysfunction indicated?

Answer 4

• Absent or abnormal reflexes in an infant
• Persistence of a reflex past the age when the reflex is normally lost
• Redevelopment of an infantile reflex in an older child

Question 5

List the different types of reflexes.

Answer 5

• Moro reflex
• Parachute reflex
• Babinski reflex

Question 6

Describe the Moro reflex.

Answer 6

• Moro reflex (startle reflex) disappears by 3 months
• Extends arms related to loud noise or sudden movement

Question 7

Describe the Parachute reflex.

Answer 7

• Parachute reflex appears at 7 months and maintained throughout life.
• When the baby is turned face down, the arms will extend as if the baby is trying to catch himself.

Question 8

Describe the Babinski reflex.

Answer 8

• Babinski reflex expected to disappear at 12 months.
• Reflex may persist beyond 12 months. This can be normal, but not typical (expected).
  ~ If persists near 24 months may consider potential underlying neurological conditions
• Babinski reflex present (positive)
  ~ Big toe dorsiflexes (upward movement) and other toes fan

Question 9

Describe fine motor grasping of each age group.

Answer 9

• Reflexive < 6 months
• Reaches for and bangs objects/transfers – 6 months
• Crude Pincer Grasp (2 fingers and thumb) – 8 months
• Neat Pincer Grasp (index finger and thumb) – 10 months

Question 10

When do infants learn to roll over?

Answer 10

Age 4-6 months

Question 11

Describe the development of sitting in infants.

Answer 11

1 month: legs butterfly pose; arms stretched forward (child’s pose)
2 months: legs butterfly pose; arms extended to the sides
4 months: sits with support
6 months: briefly sits unsupported
8-9 months: sits unsupported
see picture

Question 12

Describe the different types of locomotion.

Answer 12

• Crawling
  ~ tummy on floor—age 6 months
  ~ tummy off floor (hands and knees)—age 9 months
• Walk with assist—age 11 months (walks around furniture)
• Walk alone (first steps)—age 12 months

Question 13

Describe Erikson’s Psychosocial Development (Trust vs. Mistrust) for infants.

Answer 13

• Birth to 18 months
• Trust is developed if the infant’s comfort, feeding, and care needs are consistently met.
• Mistrust develops if needs are not consistently met.
• Forming a sense of trust in the world

Question 14

Describe nutrition during infancy.

Answer 14

• Breast milk is best for first 6 months of life
• Vitamin D supplementation for exclusively breastfed babies.
• Breastmilk or iron-fortified formula until 12 months.
• NO cow’s milk before 12 months.
• NO honey before 12 months (Botulism- muscle paralysis caused by the toxin).
• Introduction of solid foods
  ~ Baby food/puree foods 5-6 months
  ~ Introduce foods at intervals of 4-7 days to allow for identification of food allergies

Question 15

Describe language development during infancy.

Answer 15

• Crying is first verbal communication
• Vocalizations
  ~ Coo, gurgles, and laugh by 4 months
  ~ Babbles and imitative sounds by 6 months
  ~ Mama and dada by 9 months
  ~ Three to five words with meaning by age 1 year
• Absence of vocalization and regression of language cause for concerns
  ~ Hearing impairment vs Autism Spectrum Disease

Question 16

How do you promote infant safety and injury prevention?

Answer 16

Car seat in the backseat and rear facing for as long as car seat will allow for height and weight (up to age 4)