Motor Development
Name the two broad categories of motor skills; give one example of each.
Gross (large: crawling) and Fine (small: buttoning).
Between 6–12 months, infants show early communication. Name two early communication behaviors.
Responds to name; comprehends gestures (wave).
What does APGAR stand for and what five items does it measure? (List items assessed)
APGAR: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace (responsiveness), Activity (muscle tone), Respiration. Measures pulse, breathing, muscle tone, reflex irritability, skin color.
Which principle describes growth from the center outward (name the principle)?
Proximodistal.
What is meant by "viable" at 26 weeks in prenatal development?
"Viable" = fetus can survive outside womb (often with medical support) at ~26 weeks.
Define the cephalocaudal principle and give one example from infancy.
Cephalocaudal = head-to-tail; e.g., head control before sitting.
Approximately how many words should a child know by age 2 and by age 3?
~250–300 words by age 2; ~1000 by age 3.
Define "meconium."
Meconium: first bowel movement; tar-like.
Put these motor milestones in typical chronological order: rolling over, crawling, walking, reaching successfully.
Reaching → rolling over → crawling → walking (note: prereaching then reaching at 3–4 mo; rolling ~earlier; crawling ~8 mo; walking ~11–12 mo).
Name two common reflexes that remain beyond infancy and state their likely functions.
Eye-blink and sucking reflexes remain; functions: eye protection and feeding.
What reflex helps prepare infants for independent locomotion and usually disappears around 2 months?
Stepping reflex.
At ages 2–3 children start using grammar features. Name three grammar elements they begin to use.
Plurals, articles, pronouns.
What is vernix caseosa and what purpose did it serve in utero?
Vernix caseosa: protective white substance covering fetus; protected skin from amniotic fluid.
Define "asynchrony" in development and give one example from the motor norms material.
Asynchrony = mismatch between body growth and motor skill (e.g., large body but delayed motor control).
Define Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and name one common treatment or non-pharmacological strategy listed in the Dangers in Pregnancy materials.
NAS = withdrawal syndrome from prenatal exposure (opioids, etc.). Treatments: non-pharmacologic care (rooming-in, breastfeeding where not contraindicated); medication when needed.
Explain differentiation and integration in motor development and provide one classroom/parental activity that supports each.
Differentiation: refining movements (prereaching → reaching). Integration: coordinating muscles/senses (jumping → jump rope). Activities: practice fine-motor drawing; coordinated games.
Identify two red flags from the language milestones that suggest need for early intervention.
Consistent milestone delays; difficulties being understood or following instructions.
Explain the significance of fontanels in newborn skull development.
Fontanels = "soft spots" that allow skull growth; close as bones fuse.
Explain the principle of hierarchical integration and give an infant example showing simple skills combining into more complex ones.
Hierarchical integration: simple skills develop separately then integrate — e.g., arm/hand control + grasp → coordinated feeding.
List three short-term effects and three possible long-term effects of prenatal substance exposure.
Short-term effects: growth anomalies, withdrawal, neurobehavioral signs. Long-term effects: cognitive, language, behavioral, academic and mental health problems.
Describe how experience, practice, and motivation interact to influence motor-skill acquisition; include one implication if early experience is limited.
Motivation drives attempts; experience provides opportunities; practice refines skill. Limited early experience → delayed skill acquisition, less sports participation, lower self-concept.
Describe two home strategies that support expressive language growth and explain why each helps.
Read daily (models vocabulary, sentence structure); ask open-ended Qs (encourages expressive language and narrative skills).
Summarize three normal appearance/behavior features of a neonate that reflect neurological or sensory readiness (e.g., senses, head proportion, reflex-related behaviors).
Examples: strong smell preference (taste/smell development), ability to focus 8–12 inches (vision readiness), reflex repertoire (sucking/rooting) supporting feeding and indicating neurological function.
Outline the major developmental stages from prenatal to late adulthood and indicate which stage the first two years corresponds.
Stages: Prenatal, Infancy/Toddlerhood (first 2 years = infancy), Middle childhood, Adolescence, Emerging adulthood, Young adulthood, Middle adulthood, Late adulthood.
Summarize the purpose of a "Plan of Safe Care" under CAPTA/CARA and list two elements that such a plan should address for the infant–family dyad.
Plan of Safe Care: ensure infant safety and address health/substance-use needs of infant and caregiver; elements: multidisciplinary assessment, referrals for treatment, coordination of services, pre- and postnatal intervention points.