The Newborn + Motor Development Flashcards
What are the five states of arousal of a newborn?
regular sleep irregular sleep drowsiness quiet alertness crying.
How do newborns use crying?
Newborns use crying as a means of communication—there are different cries to elicit various responses from caregivers.
What senses are most and least developed at birth?
Touch is the most highly developed at birth, while vision is the least developed.
What reflexes does a newborn have?
The rooting/sucking Moro stepping Babinski reflexes are a few of the most common at this age.
What does “colic” mean?
Severe pains that grip the abdomen or the disease that causes such pains (due to intestinal or bowel related problems). Also - colic is defined as crying for three or more hours a day, three or more days a week, for three or more weeks.
What does “plasticity” refer to?
The brain’s ability to change and adapt over the course of a lifetime; changes in neural pathways and synapses due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, thinking, and emotions. Neuroplasticity is also an important aspect of early childhood development. Also known as brain plasticity, neuroplasticity is an umbrella term that refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses caused by changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, thinking, and emotions—as well as changes resulting from bodily injury. The concept of neuroplasticity explores how the brain changes over the course of a lifetime and how different areas of the brain can evolve and adapt over time. This change occurs on a variety of levels, ranging from cellular changes (caused by learning) to large-scale changes in response to injury. The role of neuroplasticity is considered important to healthy development, learning, memory, and recovery from brain damage.
What does “neonatal” refer to?
Of or pertaining to the period of time immediately following birth. The first two months of newborn growth and development are known as the neonatal period of development.
How does a newborn spend most of its time and why?
Most of an infant’s time is spent in either regular or irregular sleep (8-9 hours of each); it is during this time that the infant’s brain continues to develop the necessary connections for survival and growth.
What do newborn whimpers and weak cries mean?
Whimpers or weak crying may simply indicate the desire for attention (“pick me up and cuddle me”),
What do intense screams indicate?
intense screaming could mean hunger or some other form of distress.
What does the brain plasticity in newborns mean?
Brain plasticity refers to the idea that the brain is not yet committed to specific functions. If certain areas of the brain are damaged during this sensitive period, other areas of the brain can take over and handle new functions not previously assigned to them.
Do babies always cry to get a need met?
Some infants suffer from colic and/or cry for no apparent reason.
How developed is touch in a newborn?
Touch is well developed at the time of birth, and infants are highly sensitive to pain. Because touch is important for bonding and emotional development, it makes sense that this is one of the infant’s earliest active senses.
How developed is hearing in a newborn?
Sensitivity to sound improves greatly over the first few months of life; however, newborns recognise familiar sounds that they heard while in the womb, especially their mother’s voice. Newborns prefer the human voice to other sounds, and infants as young as 3 days old can distinguish between several different sound patterns.
How developed is smell in a newborn?
Newborn babies can also recognise their mothers’ smell and will show a preference for smells they recognise from the womb.
How developed is vision in a newborn?
Vision is the least developed of the newborn baby’s senses. Newborns can only see objects or people clearly when they appear within 18 inches in front of them—usually the distance between the infant and his or her mother’s face when the infant is being held. Visual acuity is very limited but develops rapidly over the next several months. Colour discrimination occurs around the age of 4 months, but newborns still prefer bright colours and patterns to grey or dull ones.
What is the rooting/sucking reflex?
This reflex allows the baby to find the mother’s nipple (or bottle nipple) in order to eat. It can be elicited by stroking the baby’s cheek; the baby will turn in the direction of the stimulation and look for the nipple. Rooting (the stroking of the cheek to stimulate the feeding response) is replaced by sucking at around 4 months of age.
What is the Moro reflex?
The Moro reflex is thought to help babies cling to their mothers for safety and protection. If a loud banging noise is made near the baby, the baby will make an “embracing” motion (extending arms and legs then bringing them back toward the body) in an attempt to cling. This generally disappears around 6 months of age.
What is the Babinski reflex?
The function of the Babinski reflex is unknown, although it may have to do with walking. (Could be considered vestigial). After stroking the bottom of the baby’s foot from toe to heel, the baby’s toes fan out and the foot pulls up and away toward the shin. This can last up until the end of the first year of life, though it often disappears around 8-9 months. At this point the reflex changes, and the toes curl down and the foot curls in response to the same stimulation. If the earlier Babinksi reflex is found in an adult, it can indicate some form of brain damage.
What is the impact of motor development?
The development of both gross and fine motor skills helps a child go from being a completely dependent newborn to being an independently functioning toddler in about 3 years. Children meet a myriad of physical development milestones in the first few years of life, from walking to drawing to self-feeding.
What are gross motor skills?
Gross motor skills coordinate the large muscle groups that control our arms and legs and involve larger movements like balancing, running, and jumping. Gross motor skills - By the end of the second year of life, most children (except those with disabilities or other special needs) can stand up, walk/run, climb stairs, jump, and skip. As children grow older (ages 4-5), many can also catch balls, ride bikes, and run with more speed and agility.
The prerequisite to all these gross motor skills
The prerequisite to all these gross motor skills is postural control—the ability to hold one’s head up, sit independently, and stand. Appropriate posture allows the child to learn to walk, run, and engage in other gross motor skills.
