Infancy Flashcards
A healthy birthweight for an infant is typically…..
5 - 8 pounds
What percentage of body weight does an infant lose in its first few days of life?
5 percent
True or False: Infants experience exponential growth in their weight as they grow up to age 2
True. By the time an infant is 4 months old, their body weight has doubled. By one year, that weight has tripled and then quadrupled by the time they reach 2.
How are a baby’s measurements of growth expressed and what do they mean?
- A baby’s measurements are expressed in percentiles.
- Is a comparison of the baby’s weight to other babies that are the same age.
- Ex. If a baby is in the 50 percentile, then that means that 50% percent of babies weigh less than them and 50% weigh more than them.
What is a sign that a baby could be in failure to thrive?
When their weight dramatically decreases in the percentiles. Ex. A bay goes from the 50th percentile to the 20th.
What % of length does the head make up in the womb? How does that % change at birth?
50% in the womb. It decreases to 25% at birth.
What % of weight is an infant’s brain in comparison to an adult brain? What happens to this percentage as the infant grows up?
25%. It increases.
What is transient exuberance in an infant’s development?
It is a period of temporary rapid growth of dendrites in the brain up until age 2.
What happens after transient exuberance?
The child’s brain prunes (eliminates) any neural connections that are not used.
What area of the brain does transient exuberance and pruning occur?
Cortex
What other part of the neuron develops during infancy that helps in enhancing the building of neural connections?
Myelin
What reflexes do infants have that are necessary for survival? (Hint: there are 4)
- Breathing Reflex (Thrashing, hiccups, and and sneezing)
- Temperature Regulating Reflexes (Crying, Shivering, Pushing away blankets, etc)
- Sucking Reflex
- Rooting Reflex (Turning towards any object that touches its cheek).
What reflexes do infants have that are not necessary for survival? (Hint: there are
- Babinski reflex (toes fan upward when feet are stroked)
- Stepping reflex (Babies move their legs as if to walk when feet touch a flat surface)
- Palmer grasp (Infant will tightly grasp any object placed in its palm)
- Moro reflex (Babies fling their arms when they hear a loud noise)
Why is it important to check on reflexes that are not necessary for survival?
They help signify the state of the brain and bodily functions.
What happens to an infant’s reflexes as they get older?
The reflexes disappear and are replaced with voluntary movements or motor skills.
In what two directions does motor development in an infant occur?
Cephalocaudal (from head-down) and proximodistal (from center-out)
What are some examples of developmental milestones that an infant should achieve? (Hint: there are two)
Holding up its head and sitting alone
At what age are babies able to hold up their heads on average?
6 weeks
90% of babies can hold up their heads between _ weeks and _ months old
3 weeks and 4 months old
What is the difference between fine and gross motor skills?
Gross motor skills involve the use of large muscle groups while fine motor skills involve the use of small muscle groups.
What are some examples of gross motor skills?
- Moving their chin up when lying down on their stomach
- Moving their chest up
- Rocking back and forth on hands and knees
What are some examples of fine motor skills?
- Writing with a pencil
- Using a spoon
- Grasping a toy
What is sensation?
The interaction of information with sensory receptors
What is perception?
The process of interpreting what is sensed
Which sense is the most poorly developed at birth?
Vision
True or False: An infant will prefer a stranger’s voice over their mother’s
False. An infant listens more closely to their mother’s voice.
True or False: An infant can distinguish between very similar sounds
True. An infant can perform this task as early as one month
What are some things that circumcision can help prevent?
(There are three)
Urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and some STDs
What are some benefits of gentle touch for infants?
Gentle touch helps infants learn about the world, bond with their caregivers, and communicate their needs and wants.
True or False. An infant prefers the odor of their mother over others
True
True or False: Newborns cannot distinguish between sour, bitter, sweet, and salty flavors
False
What will happen when an infant is placed on their mother’s chest?
They will inch up to their mother’s breasts.
What is the milk produced during pregnancy and after birth?
Colostrum
What is the benefit of colostrum?
It is packed with nutrients that help the baby build up its immune system
How does breastfeeding benefit brain development?
Breast milk contains fat that infants need to produce myelin in their brains. It also contains other nutrients that the immature brain needs to grow.
What are the observed health benefits for children who are breastfed?
- Lower rates of childhood leukemia, asthma, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, and a lower risk of SIDS.