Lifespan Psychology - Chapter 3
temperment
A baby's general approach to the world and behavioral orientation.
obesity
A body weight that exceeds by 20% what is considered to be appropriate for one's age.
sudden infant death sydrome
A condition of unknown cause resulting in the sudden and unexpected death of an infant.
ADHD
A disorder that causes children to be highly distractible and energetic. It is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain leading to difficulties in regulating attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
myelin
A fatty material deposited around axons.
myelinated
A layer of fat that can surround the axon.
meconium
A newborn's first bowel movement.
prepubertal growth spurt
A rapid increase in height and weight preceding puberty (at about age 10 to 12).
reflexes
A response controlled by the automatic nervous system, over which an individual as no willful control.
mental health
A state of psychological well-being in which an individual is able to behave according to cultural standards.
perinatal deaths
A term that includes deaths from 20 weeks gestation to 4 weeks of birth.
apgar score
An evolution method for assessing the health status of a newborn.
connnections
An individual's relationships with others and feelings as though one belongs.
competence
An individual's skills, abilities, and proficiency within a specific domain, such as school, relationships, or sports,
idiopathic protracted apnea
An interruption in breathing during sleep.
psychotropic medication
Any medication capable of altering cognition, or behavior.
individual difference
Any quality, trait, or characteristic that distinguishes one person from others.
childproofing
Arranging and adapting housing and physical space to met safety concerns for infants.
congenital abnormalities
Birth defects or chromosomal abnormalities that are incompatible with life.
proximodistal growth pattern
Changes first in the center, innermost area of the body and then move outward to the ends of extremities.
cephalocaudal growth pattern
Changes occur in the head region of the body, both internally and externally in advance of those occurring toward the abdominal region;
neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that carry information to other neurons.
cell body
Contains the parts of the cell to keep it alive and functioning (such as the nucleus).
hitching
Crawling or creeping backward using the buttocks rather than the hands and knees.
neonatal death
Death of a baby during the neonatal period (birth to 2 weeks of age).
stillbirth
Death of a fetus before birth due to any one of several reasons.
confidence
Having a certainty in one's ability.
character
Having a moral compass and integrity.
caring
Having empathy and concern for others.
creeping
Locomotion by moving the hands and knees with the abdomen off the surface.
crawling
Locomotion with the abdomen on a surface.
Babinski relflex
Named for its discoverer, this reflex occurs when the sole of the baby's foot is stroked along the outer edge. In response, the neonate's toes spread wide in a fanning action, relax somewhat, curl forward tightly closed, and return to their original position.
co-sleeping
Parents and children sleep in the same bed.
dendrites
Receives information from other neurons.
rhythm
Regular body movements.
vestigial reflexes
Several reflexes present at birth that seem to be relics of adaptive experiences sometime in our vast evolutionary past.
visual acuity
Sharpness or clarity of vision.
pediatric psychology
Studies interactions and relationships among health, illness, physical development, cognitive development, and socioemotional development across the life-span.
axon
Takes information from the neuron away to be sent to other neurons.
strength
The ability to exert force.
hand skills
The ability to explore and manipulate a wide variety of objects with the hands.
balance
The ability to maintain equilibrium and stability.
perceptual skill
The ability to perceive through sight and sight; especially those skills related to motor skill development, such as depth perception and pattern perception, that emerge in infancy.
coordination
The ability to use various muscle groups together to accomplish specific actions.
bilateral coordination 2
The cooperative, integrated use of both sides of the body in performing motor acts.
bilateral coordination
The coordinated, integrated use of both sides of the body in performing motor acts.
precision
The dexterity and accuracy of movements.
slow-to-warm-up temperment
The display of quiet activity levels, somewhat fussy, and wary around others and situations.
pruning
The elimination of unnecessary excess neuron connections between millions of neuron cells over time.
colostrum
The first liquid secreted by the mammary glands, full of antibodies and nutrition.
phenomenism
The first stage for understanding of illness "as an external concrete phenomenon that is spatially and temporally remote from the condition of illness."
flexibility
The freedom to bend or move the body in various directions.
neuron
The information processing cell of the nervous system.
vernix
The lubricating, creamlike substance that has formed during the fetal period.
miscarriage
The natural loss of an embryo, usually before the tenth week of pregnancy.
deciduous teeth
The primary or first set of 16 teeth that erupt when an infant is between 5 and 7 and 1/2 months of age.
impulsion
The rate at which body movement begins from a stationary position.
speed
The rate of movement once the body is in action.
difficult temperment
The resisting of the physical handling, cradling, crying inconsolably, and showing irregular sleeping and eating patterns.
contagion
The second stage for understanding illness as "caused by people or objects that are proximate to, but not touching, the child."
dentition
The shedding of one set of teeth and eruption of another.
synapses
The tiny gaps between neurons.
palmar (hand) and plantar (foot) grasping reflex
These reflex movements are produced by touching or stroking the palm of the newborn's hands or soles of its feet. Both fingers and toes curl in the grasping manner in response. The strength of these reflexes is remarkable.
adaptive reflexes
This group of reflexes aids the neonate to locate and obtain food, thus helping to ensure survival.
rooting reflex
This is a searching reflex motion that helps the neonate to locate a breast or bottle nipple. It occurs when the baby's cheeks are stroked or the corner of its mouth is touched. The baby turns its head in the direction of the stimulation, and as it does so, opens its mouth. The baby's tongue begins to move forward and backward in its mouth.
moro reflexes
This reflex is associated with a sudden change in movement or support of the newborn. If a neonate is raised or lowered suddenly or if support of its head is released, the baby responds by raising its arms upward very quickly and curling its fingers. Moving of the legs accompanies these reflex motions.
sucking reflex
This reflex is closely associated with both the rooting and swallowing reflexes. It is produced when the soft palate in the baby's mouth is stimulated.
startle reflex
This reflex is most often elicited by loud noises and unexpected, sudden touching of the newborn's trunk area.
tonic neck reflex
This reflex usually occurs when the neonate on its back. The arms, legs, ad head move toward the characteristic "fencing" position in which the arm and leg on one side are extended, while those on the other side are extended, while those on the other side are flexed. The baby's head turns to one side, usually in the direction of its extended limbs.
swimming reflex
This usual reflex occurs when the neonate is submerged on its abdomen in water. The baby holds its breath and makes swimming motions with both legs and arms.
gross motor skills
Those motor acts that require the use of large muscle groups.
fine motor skills
Those motor acts that require the use of small muscle groups and hand-eye coordination.
cruising
Walking using the assistance of objects.
walking reflex
step-like motions of the legs occur reflexively when the neonate is held in an upright position and allowed to touch a flat surface with its feet. The legs respond by flexing alternately as if the child is walking.