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One of your closest friends has recently discovered that she is pregnant and has asked you to help design her nursery. Specifically, she wants you to use your knowledge of infant physical and cognitive development to help design a nursery that is safe and promotes optimal development. She is particularly interested in making sure that the nursery is decorated in a manner that encourages healthy sensory development as well as promotes active sensorimotor exploration within a safe environment. What advice would you give your friend? |
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On a recent trip to the park, you overheard several mothers discussing differences in the language abilities of their children (ages 14 to 22 months). One of the mothers bragged that her son was already conversational using multi-word sentences and verbally indicating preferences, feelings, and desires. Another mother expressed concern because her child talks very little and relies almost exclusively on non-verbal communication to express his wishes. Several other mothers commented about the various rates at which their children seemed to be mastering language development. Imagine that you could join the conversation; what would you tell the mothers about "normal" language development? What can parents do to encourage healthy verbal development in their children? |
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You have been asked to provide an educational seminar to teach parents about "normal" sleep patterns for their newborns. How would you describe "normal" infant sleep? What can new parents expect in relation to the sleep patterns of their newborn? In addition to providing general information on infant sleep, they would like you to discuss Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). What is SIDS? What can parents do to reduce the risk of SIDS? |
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Explain the role of reflexes for infant survival. What key reflexes are parents likely to see in their young infants? How do these reflexes help the baby develop other motor skills? You should cover at least five different reflexes in your response, though you may include more if you wish. Utilize dynamic systems theory to show how reflexes can be assembled into more advanced motor skills. |
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While there is great variability in the precise timing with which infants develop gross motor skills, your textbook presents a relatively stable order of skill achievement. Trace the steps from birth through unassisted walking, along with the relative age ranges when each level of development should be seen. |
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