Physical Development: Infancy

Question 1

Growth is more rapid during infancy, explain:

Answer 1

infants double their birth weight by 3 months and triple it by their first birthday

Question 2

What is the best way to ensure that babies get the neurishment needed?

Answer 2

Through breastfeeding

Question 3

Human milk contains:

Answer 3

the proper carbs, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals for baby.

Question 4

Advantages to breastfeeding:

Answer 4

-fed less often (antibodies)
-less prone to diarrhea and constipation
-easier transition to solid foods
-no contamination

Question 5

When to introduce solid foods?

Answer 5

6 months

Question 6

Advantages of formula-feeding:

Answer 6

-mom can still enjoy intimacy of feeding baby, as can other family members.

Question 7

Problems with formula-feeding:

Answer 7

-moms in developing countries can have bad sanitary conditions, contaminated water
-to save expenses, less formula may be used, risking malnutrition

Question 8

Malnutrition:

Answer 8

infant is small for their age, lack necessary nutrients.

Question 9

Hald of the deaths of children under five are due to?

Answer 9

Malnutrition

Question 10

Main cause of malnutrition

Answer 10

Socioeconomical factors

Question 11

Risks of malnutrition:

Answer 11

-difficulty maintaining attention in school
-passive and inactivity (causes discouraged parents in stimulating child)

Question 12

Neuron:

Answer 12

a cell that that specalises in receiving and transmitting information.

Question 13

Cell body:

Answer 13

contains the basic biological machinery that keeps the neuron alive.

Question 14

Dendrite:

Answer 14

Receiving end of neuron, allows one neuron to receive input from a thousand other neurons.

Question 15

Axon:

Answer 15

Tube like structure that emerges from the cell body and transmits info to other neurons

Question 16

Terminal buttons:

Answer 16

Small knobs at the end of the axon that release neurotransmittters

Question 17

Neurotransmitters:

Answer 17

Chemicals released by the terminal buttons that allow neurons to communicate with each other.

Question 18

Cerebral Cortex:

Answer 18

Wrinkled surface of the brain that regulates many functions that are distinctly human.

Question 19

Hemispheres

Answer 19

Right and left halves of cortex

Question 20

Corpus Callosum:

Answer 20

Thick bundle of neurons that connects the two hemispheres

Question 21

Frontal Cortex:

Answer 21

Brain region that regulates personality and goal-directed behaviour.

Question 22

Neural plate:

Answer 22

Flat group of cells present in prenatal development that becomes the brain and spinal cord.

Question 23

Myelin:

Answer 23

Fatty sheath that wrps around neurons and enables them to transmit information more rapidly.

Question 24

Synaptic pruning:

Answer 24

Gradual reduction in the numbers of synapses, beginning in infancy and continuing until early adolescents.

Question 25

Electroencephalography:

Answer 25

The study of the brain waves recorded from electrodes that are placed on the scalp.

Question 26

fMRI:

Answer 26

Functional magnetic resonance imaging:
-method of studying the brain activity by using magnetic fields to track blood flow in the brain.

Question 27

Disadvantages of fMRI:

Answer 27

-expensive
-participant must lie still

Question 28

General principles that describe the brain’s specialisation as children develop:

Answer 28

1. Specialisation is evident early in development.
2. Specialisation takes 2 seperate forms
3. Different brain systems specialise at different rates.
4. Successful specialisation require stimulation from the environment.
5. The immature brain’s lack of specialisation gives a benefit of greater plasticity.

Question 29

Experience-expectant growth:

Answer 29

Process by which the wiring of the brain is organised by experiences that are common to most humans.

Question 30

Experience-dependent growth:

Answer 30

Process by which an individual’s unique experience over a lifetime affect brain structures and organisations.