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Biosocial Development
Newborn to two-years
Brain Development
• “use it or lose it”
• Babies are born with 100 billion neurons:
nerve cells, but the networks of axons and
dendrites between these establish few
connections
Transient Exuberance
• Exuberance: the sheer magnitude of growth
in neural connections
• Transient: rate of growth of connections
slows as child grows older and overtime,
unused connections atrophy and disappear.
Myelination
• Proceeds most rapidly from age 4 and
continues through adolescence, allowing
children to gain increasing neurological
control over their motor functions and
sensory abilities and facilitates their
intellectual functioning as well.
Experience
• A key factor in brain development
• A certain minimal level of stimulation for
each of the senses in need for these
connections to be established optimally.
• Cognitive and emotional experiences during
this time can foster later language
development
Low birth weight factors
• Smoking
• poverty
• problems associated with innercity
Nourishment Issues
• Undernourishment: weight gain more
slowly than expected, illness, vitamin
deficiencies
• Both malnutrition and undernutrition can
lead to impaired hearning.
• Overfed infants are fed too much of what
they do not need, is associated with slower
motor skill development and health
problems later in life.
Advantages of Breastfeeding
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Convenience
Sterile
Body temp.
Easier to digest
Fewer upset stomachs,
digestive problems,
and allergies.
• Decreases ailments
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More nutritious:
iron
vitamin C, A
antibodies to protect
against flues, measles,
polio , etc.
• Hormones to aid brain
development and
decrease pain.
Breastfeeding
• Recommended for at least one year for all
babies except those with HIV, malnourished
or drug using mothers
• Primary food for first six months
• Bottle feeding is still more popular
• Nestle example:
Breastfeeding to table food
• At about 6 months, solid foods are
introduced
• Cereals and then other foods slowly
introduced
• Avoid wheat , honey, and sugar for first year
Cognitive Development
• Read Chapter 6, concentrating on
behavioral objectives.
Poverty in the U.S.
Effects on the pregnant mother,
developing fetus and infant.