Developmental Psychology

• Palmar Reflex : When an infant will hold on to something that is placed into the palm of their hand. • Swimming Reflex : This reflex occurs when the baby/infant is lowered into water whether it is a tub, pool, etc. Infants will hold their breath and kick their legs/feet, just as if they were treading in water. 4.4 Sensory-Perceptual Development Newborns have immature sensations and perception abilities when compared to an adult. Newborns are known for using all 5 of the human senses and are able to respond to stimuli such as being in pain and feeling a temperature. One of the unfortunate aspects is that infants are unable to verbally communicate about the way they feel about a certain stimulus. Researchers hypothesize that infants who are exposed to unaccustomed stimuli, that their suckling pattern and suckling rate will increase. When they are exposed to something familiar, then their behaviors return to normal. Newborn vision and hearing tend to develop more slowly than the other senses. Vision is least developed because of the lens having a limited ability to change its focus. Babies/infants are infants start out being near-sighted and like to look at bright colors, and familiar faces. Around 14 weeks of age, infants are able to start focusing both of their eyes, creating what is called binocular vision . When infants are between ages 7 and 12 months, their vision has improved so much, it has the capabilities of an adult. Infants development is known for its rapid development. A fetus can actually hear and has the ability to hear his or her mother’s voice while he or she is inside the womb. What is fascinating is that newborns are able to tell the difference between their mothers’ voice and other voices that he or she hears while in the womb. As hearing continues to develop, infants will turn their heads when they hear a noise and will focus their eyes on the stimuli (Sound). 4.5 Nutrition Proper nutrition is vitally important to the development of infants. Studies show that infants will grow rapidly and within the first few months, they will double their birth weight. Infants are unable to digest solid foods before 6 months of age, so prior to being introduced to solids, they are on a liquid diet such as breast milk or formula. These methods provide the necessary nutrients that an infant needs to help them grow. While both options have nutrients, doctors suggest that breast milk is used. This is due to the extensive vitamins, minerals and antibodies; more than any formula would have. After the baby is born, antibodies appear immediately, which allows the mother to immediately start feeding the baby and providing him or her with the nutrients that he or she needs. There are some countries that will breast feed more than 6 months. In fact, some cultures may feel their child over the course of the first few years of life. In the United States, a mother breast feeds their child usually no more than 6 months. According to the World Health Organization, the average weaning age is 4 and a half years old.

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