Chapter 8: Early Childhood Biosocial Development

Kinship Care

A form of foster care in which a relative of a maltreated child, usually a grandparent, becomes the approved caregiver. -often used as easy, less expensive solution

Adoption

A legal proceeding in which an adult or couple unveiled to a child is granted the joys and obligations of being that child's parent(s). -preferred permanent option

Warning Signs

*delayed development- slow growth, immature communication, lack of curiosity, unusual social interaction (often first signs) -injuries that don't fit accidental explanation -repeated injuries (esp broken bones) -fantasy play, themes of violence or sexual knowledge -ongoing physical complaints -reluctant to talk, play, or move -no close friendships, bullying, hostile -hypervigilance- quick, impulsive reactions -frequent school absences, new caregivers/addresses -expression of fear on seeing caregiver

Fine Motor Skills

-beyond capacity of most two year olds -most involve two hands, and thus both sides of brain -mature about 6 months earlier in girls

Gross Motor Skills

-improve dramatically during early childhood -specific skills develop as a part of gross motor skills -many of these involve balance and coordination of both brain hemispheres

Hypothalamus

A brain area that responds to the amygdala and the hippocampus to produce hormones that activate other parts of the brain and body. -ideally, this hormone production occurs in moderation -stress can facilitate memory and cognitive growth in the right context, but is also has the potential to damage hippocampus (learning and memory deficits)

Hippocampus

A brain structure that is a central processor of memory, especially memory for locations. -located right next to amygdala -responds to anxieties of amygdala by summoning memory -interactions between these two parts of the brain can sometimes by constructive and sometimes destructive

Foster Care

A legal, publicly supported system in which maltreated child is removed from the parents' custody and entrusted to another adult/family, which is reimbursed for expenses incurred in meeting child's needs. -each move increases risk of a poor outcome, average of three placements before permanent location -from 200-2009, half a million kids in the U.S. were in foster care (half of these were in kinship care)

Corpus Callosum

A long, thick band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain and allows communication between them. -makes communication between hemispheres more efficient, allowing coordination of two sides of body -myelinates rapidly during early childhood

Amygdala

A tiny brain structure that registers emotions, particularly fear and anxiety. -increased activity here may be one reason some kids have terrifying nightmares -fears and amygdala response shaped also by parental responses to certain objects/situations

Secondary Prevention

Actions that avert harm in a high-risk situation, such as stopping a care before it hits a pedestrian.

Primary Prevention

Actions that change overall background conditions to prevent some unwanted event or circumstance, such as injury, disease, or abuse. -fosters conditions that reduce everyone's chance of injury -most effective!

Tertiary Prevention

Actions, such as immediate and effective medical-treatment, that are taken after an adverse event (such as illness or injury) occurs and that are aimed at reducing the harm or preventing disability. -most visible form of prevention

Child Maltreatment

All intentional harm to or avoidable endangerment of anyone under 18 years of age. -incudes both child abuse and child neglect

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

An anxiety disorder that develops as a delayed reaction to having experienced or witnessed a profoundly shocking or frightening event, such as rape, severe beating, war, or natural disaster. Symptoms may include flashbacks to the event, hyperactivity and hyper vigilance, displaced anger, sleeplessness, nightmares, sudden terror or anxiety, and confusion between fantasy and reality.

Permanency Planning

An effort by child welfare authorities to find a long-term living situation that will provide stability and support for a maltreated child. A goal is to avoid repeated changes of caregiver or school, which can be particularly harmful to the child.

Child Abuse

Deliberate action that is harmful to a child's physical, emotional, or sexual well-being.

Child Neglect

Failure to meet a child's basic physical, educational, or emotional health.

Reported Maltreatment

Harm or endangerment about which someone has notified the authorities.

Substantiated Maltreatment

Harm or endangerment that has been reported, investigated, and verified.

Function of Right and Left Brain

Left: areas dedicated to logical reasoning, detailed analysis, basics of language Right: areas dedicated to generalized emotional and creative impulses, including appreciation for music, art, poetry *every cognitive skill requires both sides of the brain

Lateralization

Literally, "sidedness," referring to the specialization in certain functions by each side of the brain, with one side dominant for each activity. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa. -advances with development of corpus callosum -switching a child's handedness can interfere with lateralization

Prefrontal Cortex

Maturation of this part of the brain becomes evident as: -sleep becomes more regular -emotions become more nuanced and responsive to specific stimuli -temper tantrums subside -uncontrollable laughter and tears less common

Injury Control/Harm Reduction

Practices that are aimed at anticipating, controlling, and preventing dangerous activities; these practices reflect the beliefs that accidents are not random and that injuries can be made less harmful if proper controls are in place. -used instead of the term "accident prevention"

Impulse control

The ability to postpone or deny the immediate response to an idea or behavior.

Myelination

The process by which axons become coated with myelin, a fatty substance that speeds the transmission of nerve impulses from neuron to neuron. -notable effects in early childhood -areas of the brain showing greatest myelination are motor and sensory areas -great speed of thought becomes pivotal

Perseveration

The tendency to persevere in, or stick to, one thought or action for a long time. -this and impulsiveness are manifestations of the immaturity of the prefrontal cortex