Chapter 8: Life Span Development
Topics
● Infancy (Birth to 1 Year)
● Toddler Phase (12-36 Months)
● Preschool Age (3-5 Years)
● School Age (6-12 Years)
● Adolescence (13-18 Years)
● Early Adulthood (19-40 Years)
● Middle Adulthood (41-60 Years)
● Late Adulthood (61 Years and Older)
Infancy (Birth to 1 Year)
● Physiologic
○ 6.6-7.7 lbs. (3.0-3.5 kg) at birth
○ Weight doubles by six months and triples by twelve months
○ Head is 25 percent of total body weight
○ Airway is narrow, short, and easily obstructed
○ Nose and diaphragm are used for breathing
○ Antibodies are passed from mother to child during pregnancy
○ Antibodies are also passed through breastfeeding
○ Moro reflex (startle)
■ Throws arms out, spreads fingers, and then grabs with fingers and arms
○ Palmar reflex
■ Graps objects placed in palm
○ Rooting reflex (hunger)
■ Turns head to the side when cheek is touched
○ Sucking reflex
■ Sucks when lips are stroked
○ Sleep patterns
■ Initially sleeps 6-8 hours throughout the day and night
■ Soon changes to 4-6 hours during the day and 9-10 hours at night
■ By 2-4 months, will sleep through the night
○ Extremities grow in length from a combination of growth plates at both ends of
the long bones
○ Fontanelles are not fused at birth
■ Posterior fontanelle closes in 2-3 months
■ Anterior fontanelle closes in 9-18 months
○ Sunken fontanelles indicate dehydration
○ Bulging in fontanelles without crying indicate increased pressure inside the skull
● Psychosocial
○ Bonding
■ The sense that needs will be met
○ Trust versus mistrust
■ Desire for an orderly, predictable environment
Topics
● Infancy (Birth to 1 Year)
● Toddler Phase (12-36 Months)
● Preschool Age (3-5 Years)
● School Age (6-12 Years)
● Adolescence (13-18 Years)
● Early Adulthood (19-40 Years)
● Middle Adulthood (41-60 Years)
● Late Adulthood (61 Years and Older)
Infancy (Birth to 1 Year)
● Physiologic
○ 6.6-7.7 lbs. (3.0-3.5 kg) at birth
○ Weight doubles by six months and triples by twelve months
○ Head is 25 percent of total body weight
○ Airway is narrow, short, and easily obstructed
○ Nose and diaphragm are used for breathing
○ Antibodies are passed from mother to child during pregnancy
○ Antibodies are also passed through breastfeeding
○ Moro reflex (startle)
■ Throws arms out, spreads fingers, and then grabs with fingers and arms
○ Palmar reflex
■ Graps objects placed in palm
○ Rooting reflex (hunger)
■ Turns head to the side when cheek is touched
○ Sucking reflex
■ Sucks when lips are stroked
○ Sleep patterns
■ Initially sleeps 6-8 hours throughout the day and night
■ Soon changes to 4-6 hours during the day and 9-10 hours at night
■ By 2-4 months, will sleep through the night
○ Extremities grow in length from a combination of growth plates at both ends of
the long bones
○ Fontanelles are not fused at birth
■ Posterior fontanelle closes in 2-3 months
■ Anterior fontanelle closes in 9-18 months
○ Sunken fontanelles indicate dehydration
○ Bulging in fontanelles without crying indicate increased pressure inside the skull
● Psychosocial
○ Bonding
■ The sense that needs will be met
○ Trust versus mistrust
■ Desire for an orderly, predictable environment
