Development in Infancy
Summary of Contents
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Developmental Direction
Development occurs: cephalo-caudal – head to foot proximal distal –trunk to extremities large muscles to small muscles
0-12 weeks –
Reflexive random behavior dominates
Oculomotor muscles come under control (12)
Eyes, mouth – predominate sensory activity
Oral/respiratory regulation occurs
Head lags
Midline-horizontal tracking
Recognizes familiar persons
Smiles, coos, laughs
12-28 weeks –
Upper trunk comes under control – rolls both directions
Head control is established
Arms are loose – “reaching out” occurs; transfers objects; palmar grasp
bilateral activity
28-40 weeks –
lower trunk comes under control – sits alone
crawl to stand, bearing weight, rocking back & forth
uses whole arm
full range of babbling sounds
fingers – poling; pincer grasp
separation anxiety begins
12-28 weeks –
legs, feet (bipedal) come under control
stands, cruises, walks supported
starts actions
object permanence
world and self-confused – egocentricity predominates
52 weeks – 2 years –
massive integration at 15 months: full mobility full prehension – hand function
trial and error - pursuit
obeys simple directions
cannot share
myelination building
runs, climbs
builds tower of 2-3 blocks
sphincters controlled
personal identity
2-3 years –
ideas replace sensations and impression
words replace actions
imitates – sex roles, parallel play
memory improves
builds tower of 3; makes train
attempts dressing
handedness, footedness
copies a circle and square
3-4 years –
counts, tells stories
builds taller towers
jumps, hops, rides trike
associative play
attraction
regressive
forgetfulness
recalls what’s missing and parts of a series
sense of time and space
“why” questions
4-5 years –
sense of initiative and purpose
cooperative play
play is oriented toward work – “playing school”
dominance becomes fixed
The human organism’s motor development shows predictable trends, according to a long, amaturational process. These trends are cephalo-caudal, proximal-distal, general-specific, large-small muscles, bilateral-unibilateral, maximum-minimum involvement. Reflexology also affects growth. Involuntary actions produce voluntary acts in time.
Fundamental growth patterns are connoted by terms such as phases, epiginesis, etiology, equilibrium, egocentricity, maturation, among others.
Development occurs in an integrated way and can be demonstrated via my doll. Motor and hand function progression – the needs of persons remain constant throughout much of life. As reflexes diminish voluntary control takes over.
The brain and the central nervous system form a complex pathway system of receptors and effectors, much like a transformer with messages racing in multi-directions to and from the brain. The brain develops with increasing complexity, directly affecting all functional development. Levels of brain function progress from brain stem to cerebral cortex.
The brain is like a computer – more complex than any computer known.
Receptors – visual, auditory, tactile
Effectors – mobility, hand control, language
Development occurs in an integrated way and can be demonstrated via my doll. (motor & hand function progression) – the needs of persons remain constant throughout much of life, as reflexes diminish and voluntary control takes over.
b. Difference in development – Reader’s Digest said it, so it must be so – “be different and get ahead. “ We are all different. Our differences are sexual, genetic, familial, cultural, psychological, temperamental.
Eptigentic – all parts growing at different rates, structures differ.
Superstitions and prejudices
Child-rearing practices
Variability among individuals
Temperament
There is sameness and continuity among our differences
Atypical but within normal range
Fall apart – comes back together
Peaks and valleys- zig zags
Willfulness – aggression
Shamefulness – regression
- How learning occurs – behavior is learned: in utero – inflicted; at birth – reflexive; in infancy – repetition; in childhood – imitation
- Shaping, molding, modeling, reinforcement
- Conditioning, practicing (A Swedish Ball Work demonstration)
- Assimilation – accommodation (take in and use)
- Ego function – sameness & continuity – crisis in identity - inside - outside
- In cumulative stages
- When state of equilibrium is reached
- When positive reinforcement creates a “habit”
- When teachable moment is reached – Problem of the match
Role- playing
1. A 2-year-old – mirror Yes? No?
stacking Yes? No?
laundry basked Yes? No?
2. A 4-year-old – give him his own chemistry set? Yes? No?
laundry to sort Yes? No?
real nails and hammer Yes? No?
doll house with miniatures Yes? No?
3. “Lisa”, age 6 – twister mat Yes? No?
doll and doll furniture Yes? No?
“No” Match = frustration, low tolerance
“Yes” Match = peaceful upward state
- How we look at children: our powers of observation, our own needs and attitudes and our ability to communicate.
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Temperamental characteristics are observable
Temperament and Behavior
High Intermediate Low
Activity level
Rhythmicity – body functions
Approach or Withdrawal
Adaptability
Intensity of reaction
Responsiveness
Mood
Distractibility
Attention Span and Persistence -
Communication System: can be seen and heard
When you’re talking with children”- Look: make eye contact
- Speak in complete sentences
- Repeat direction and statements
- Ask questions that require more than a yes or now answer
- Use games to communicate
- Rhyming words
- Counting
- Connection words: up, down; in, out
- Spatial words: up, down, on top
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Temporal words
- Use body gestures to demonstrate and illustrate (pointer finger)
- Avoid offering choices unless you mean to allow person to “freely choose”
- Vary tone and inflection
- Remember words have beginning and endings – don’t let your voice fade away – say the whole thing
- Listen actively to what is being said to you
- Take turns talking and listening
- Development of Sensory Areas
Number of weeks Area
7 ½ periroal
8 – 9 ½ nose and chin
10-10 ½ eyelids and palms
11-11 ½ Soles
11 ½ - 12 entire face; upper chest
11 ½ if the midline of the face is stimulated the
head dorsiflexes
13 remaining chest
14 tongue; back and lateral trunk
15 abdomen
16 buttocks
32 inside thighs
Tactile Activities
A. General roughhousing 1. Rolling and throwing
2. Tickling
3. Poking
4. Rubbing
B. Brushing
1. Child too “ticklish”
2. Child under-sensitive to touch
c. Touching own body parts (clothes)
1. People piles
d. General tactile awareness of environment
1. Smooth, cold floor
2. Textures of fabrics
3. wet vs. dry sponge
e. ID of objects
1. Large – visual overlap
2. Medium – palm sized
3. Small – fingertip
f. Manual (fine motor ) progression
1. involuntary grasp
a. grasp reflex
(1) Procedure:
(a)Place your finger in the child’s hand and jerk it.
(b) When the child is grasping an object or your finger
pinch his palm
(c) Put an ice-cube or something irritating in his hand
(2) Observation:
(a)When you tug with your finger in the child’s hand do
you feel the grip getting tighter
(b) Does the child open his hand when you pinch or
does the grip get tighter?
(c) Can he voluntarily let go of something irritating to
his hand or does he grab tighter?
2. Crude prehensile grasp
a). Procedure:
(1) Place child on his stomach on the floor
(2) Offer him objects on a table while you are holding him on
your lap.
b) Observation:
(1) Is he able to grasp a large object easily?
(2) Can he do it with both hands?
3. Vital release
a) Procedure: same as “grasp reflex”
b) Observation: same as “grasp reflex” but importance is in hand
opening and not grasping tighter
4. Thumb opposition
5. Voluntary grasp
6. Bilateral hand approach
7. Voluntary palmar grasp
8. Radial palmar grasp
9. Inferior pincer grasp
10. Cortical opposition – one hand
a) Procedure: same as “prehensile grasp” but object is fingertip-sized
b) Observation:
(1) Does he pick up an object easily with thumb and first finger
or does he roll his hand?
(2) Can he do it with either hand?
11. Cortical opposition bilaterally and simultaneously
12. Neat pincer grasp
13. Mature grasp
14. Bimanual functioning
a) Can the child screw and unscrew large jar, small jar, small screw?
b) Can he button and unbutton his own clothes?
c) Can he do a zipper?
d) Can he tie his shoes
e) Can he get completely dressed and undressed by himself?
f) Can he pour an object between two cups?
g) Can he pour himself a drink?
15. Dominant hand
a) Using a dominant hand in a skilled role: Can he scribble, draw
straight lines, circles, squares, and print his name, etc.?
g. Manual Activities
1) Grasp – place object in child’s hand
2) Release – put object in child’s hand which are displeasing
a) rough
b) hot vs. cold (ice cube)
3) Prehensile grasp
a) opportunity to pick up hand-sized objects one at a time
b) Bring objects to midline
c) Bring to mouth
d) Objects in both hands
e) Offer 3rd object (put tin foil on hands, tape body as tools toward skills)
4. Cortical opposition (pincer grasp)
a) Opportunity to pick up finger-sized objects (cheerios, raisins)
5. Bimanual Functioning
a) pat-a-cake
b) clap hands
c) pop beads
d) pouring water
e. Pouring cup to cup with object
f) Jars – screw and unscrew
g) busy box
h) puzzles
2. Auditory Activities
a. Noise makers – for localization and identification
1) Instruments
2) Common objects
3) Voice changes
b. General Auditory Input
1) Naming
2) Describing
3.short one step directions
4) use of time (now/later)
5) Quantity and size (big/little)
6) Number of objects
7)Locations (in, on, under, behind)
3. Vision Activities
a. Light reflex stimulation (flashlight)
b. Eye contact
1) Facial expressions, talking
c. Visual pursuits
1) horizontal
2) Vertical
3) Circular
4)To nose/nose out
d. Pursuit of objects on floor
1) Rolling ball
2) Pull toys
3) Place object at different distances
e. Object permanence
1) Hide objects under (child watching action)
2) Hide objects behind (child watching action)
3) Hide objects in (child watching action)
f. Object recognition (by name)
g. Picture recognition (expose, name, describe)
h. Recognition of shapes (circle, square, etc.)
i. Reading
J. Crawling, creeping, and vestibular activities are also very important for the
development of refined vision.
4. Visual screening (see visual assessment handout)
a) Visual signs of problems
b) Visual behavior
c) Mobility reflexive reactions
d) Visual acuity
e.) Near vision – visual field
f) Distance vision – visual field
g) Visual perception
h)Color perception
