Developmental Psychology

Achieve Test Prep: Developmental Psychology

fourteen weeks. By the time infants are seven to twelve months old, their vision has improved to the capabilities of most adults. Hearing develops rapidly. It has been established that a fetus can hear and recognize its mother’s voice from within the womb. Newborns are able to differentiate the sound of their mother’s voice over other voices and prefer her voice. Infants typically prefer human voices over non-human vocalizations. As hearing develops, infants can turn their head towards the source of a sound and let their eyes locate the source as well. Children typically cannot digest solid foods before six months of age. Before the introduction of solid foods and beyond, babies depend on breast milk or formula for necessary nutrients and calories. Breastfeeding is recommended for many reasons. Breast milk has more vitamins, minerals, and antibodies than any formula on the market. The most antibody-rich breast milk appears immediately after birth and is called colostrum. Despite the advantage, recommendations, and cost effectiveness of breastfeeding, less than one fifth of babies born in the USA are breastfed for more than six months. However, in most other countries, children are breastfed for several years. According to the WHO, the average age for weaning from nursing worldwide is four and a half years. The most common nutrition problem among infants is macronutrient malnutrition. Macronutrient malnutrition occurs when the total caloric intake is not high enough for the child to thrive and develop. Marasmus is the term used to describe severe macronutrient malnutrition, with an infant weighing about sixty percent of the recommended weight. If a child is suffering from marasmus, typically he or she does not grow and develop well and death becomes a significant possibility. Severe protein malnutrition, kwashiorkor , is another type of nutrient deficiency. The nervous system is developing rapidly and neurological damage can occur as a result of these deficiencies. Kwashiorkor is the world’s leading cause of infant mortality, generally occurring in developing nations. In the USA, micronutrient malnutrition is far more common than protein malnutrition. Iron and calcium are the most common nutrient deficiencies. Nutrition: During the first few months of life, infants grow rapidly and double their birth weight.

Page 51 of 161

©2015

www.achievetestprep.com