physical development in infancy Flashcards
Babinski reflex
when you stroke the midline of a foot, the toes should span out. Almost like a tickle response, but tests for; neurological systems and muscular development
what does it mean when a baby doesn’t have a good babinski reflex
- we are immediately concerned for the baby
- is a highly canalized behavior and when we don’t see it, it is a sign that something is seriously wrong.
planar/plantar reflex
when the digits are grasped with our hands, and the toes or fingers wrap around our hand
planar/plantar reflex is?
- a basic reflex that a healthy baby should be born with
- tells us the baby is healthy, and no matter what it is if a infants fingers wrap around our hand we have a biochemical response to it
rooting
when something touches their face or near it. What happens is the baby tries to continue to move around until they find the source of the movement. Should be moving in any directly (maybe blindly)
rooting is important for?
important for all mammals
- can be an attempt to find something to suck on
moro
- a survival mechanism
- is a full body startle response, and is typically measured using falls
- a nurse may hold onto the baby with one hand, the other hand slightly below the baby, over and isolet and then drop and catch them to check for this response
- is a full body startle response, and is typically measured using falls
moro is what?
- if the baby is born early you may not see it at first. However, if a baby is born on time and you don’t see it right after birth you should be concerned
what does the moro reflex look like
- the head will turn first and the mouth opens away then closes. Also to then see if they can grasp onto something will all of their limbs.
the sucking relfex
- have the need to serve as a self-seeking or self-regulating mechanism. The babies have to coordinate their lips, tongue movements, and be able to figure out how to swallow and breathe all at the same time.
- these all have to be done at the same time to suck effectively
what happens is sucking doesn’t occur
- the baby is safer is other mothers or caretakers are also around
- we want to assess this early. If they can’t suck they may later have speech problems.
rage reflex
done by covering a babies face partially in a controlled scenario and location. Is a full body response, but the head, legs, and arms, are flailing uncontrollably and without coordination.
without the rage reflex what will happen
- without this you are more likely to have sleep apnea, more likely to choke, more likely to roll onto your stomach and either not being able to breathe or flip over, second hand smoke which effects the fetus in utero.
with rage reflex what does it cause to decrease
a decrease in the risk for sudden infant death
self-regulation
‣ Being able to regulate their own behavior. Can been assessed in the first few days after birth. This can often predict later behaviors. Often tested right after birth because they are already mad. So what you do is just step back and watch. Waiting to see if they can calm themselves down, or if they need help calming down. ◦ May provide respiratory stress - just putting your hand on their chest to calm them. to an infant this provides warmth, and slight pressure (like using a weighted blanket). Physiologically this support will slowly start slowing down the heart rate. ◦ Sometimes they may need to be picked up and held. ◦ Often will need to be held, a tight swaddle, have a harder time being set down, or put down at night. * The Marshalls
