A safe and happy childhood lasts a lifetime. Child Psychology The early years: children should be seen but not heardchildren should be seen but not heard 1914: Infant Care, urges mothers to battle infants bad impulses. (Thumb-sucking is discouraged by pinning sleeves to beds.) Dont pick the child up every time he cries YOU CANNOT SPOIL A NEWBORN!Dont pick the child up every time he cries YOU CANNOT SPOIL A NEWBORN! 1925: John Watson 1960s-1970s: Studies show nurtured children are more likely to overcome the ills of poverty Head Start and parent education programs are startedHead Start and parent education programs are started 1980s-1990s: New brain imaging techniques allow scientists to see how a babys experience influences the brains later development Interesante Across 4 years, the average child from a professional family would have heard nearly 45 million words spoken to them. The average child from a working class family, 26 million words. A poor family, 13 million words. So, compared to an affluent child, the poor child generally would be starting school with an astonishing deficit of 32 million words of language experience. Researchers found that among children ages 8 months to 16 months, each hour per day spent viewing baby Einstein videos and the like translated into a 17% decrease in vocabulary acquisition. No TV before 2 years because of brain development! Physical Development of humans From even before were born From conception through pregnancy From conception through pregnancy From birth on The physical development of a newborn, young baby, toddler, young child, middle child, adolescent, adult The physical development of a newborn, young baby, toddler, young child, middle child, adolescent, adult Unfertilized egg = OVUM Fertilized egg = ZYGOTE OVULATION If no sperm present = no fertilization = 5 day menstruation (period) Generally million sperm Ovulate every 14 days (28 day cycle) VARIES! Egg leaves the ovary (ovulation) approx. 2 weeks before beginning of the next menstrual period (and 2 weeks after the last period) - for approximately 3 days. Egg can be fertilized hours Scary fact..Sperm can live 3-5 days in a womans body! GERMINAL PERIOD - after 2 weeks the zygote goes down the fallopian tubes and attaches itself to the uterus (a mass of cells). EMBRYONIC PERIOD 2-8 weeks zygote changes into a multi-celled organism with human like characteristics embryo Most likely to miscarry and develop birth defects during this stage. FETAL PERIOD 2 months 7 months develop organs and distinctly human characteristics (eyelids, sex organs, hair) fetus 9.9 ounces 9.9 ounces 5 pounds 8 ounces magic #! Anything below = increased odds of lifelong mental or physical impairments and 65% increase in infant mortality. 5 pounds 8 ounces magic #! Anything below = increased odds of lifelong mental or physical impairments and 65% increase in infant mortality. March of Dimes Birth and Delivery Newborn or Neonate birth 1 yr. Womans labor generally 14 hours (Also broken up into 3 trimesters (=10 months weeks - start counting from last period) Pre-natal care is vital! Physical and mental development of the child begins before you are even thinking about having a baby. Folic Acid PLACENTA - transfers nutrients and oxygen from your blood to the fetus' blood. Acts as a filter - doesn't filter drugs, nicotine, alcohol. Vulnerable blood supply of the mother and blood supply of the fetus are connected by the organ placenta. X/Y Chromosomes Wkst. Teratogens: Monsters of Nurture A teratogen is any external agent that can harm a developing fetus Can be a disease, drug or exposure to chemicals and other Can be a disease, drug or exposure to chemicals and other Dont take any medication, have x-rays or expose yourself to any chemicals like paint or cleaning solventsDont take any medication, have x-rays or expose yourself to any chemicals like paint or cleaning solvents WHEN the exposure takes place may be critical!! WHEN the exposure takes place may be critical!! Called critical periodCalled critical period Some examples of teratogens wkst Alcohol - FASAlcohol - FAS Tobacco (lower birth weight) Tobacco (lower birth weight) Cocaine, Marijuana etc. (born addicted)Cocaine, Marijuana etc. (born addicted) Rubella (German measles)Rubella (German measles) X-ray exposureX-ray exposure InfluenzaInfluenza Severe stressSevere stress Many medicationsMany medications Poor nutritionPoor nutrition Poor prenatal carePoor prenatal care And its not just Moms exposureAnd its not just Moms exposure Teratogens often result in IUGR - IntraUterine Growth Retardation. wkst Results: Often sick and suffer from numerous difficulties after birth Often sick and suffer from numerous difficulties after birth learning disabilities learning disabilities mental retardation mental retardation more illnesses more illnesses higher mortality rate higher mortality rate fetal distress during labor fetal distress during labor greater risk of miscarriage greater risk of miscarriage lower IQ lower IQ Another teratogen: Thalidomide Drug used for sedation and for a sleeping pill Produced in England in the 1960s Found to help with morning sickness Not available in the US, but many women were able to get it Limbs may be stunted into flipper shape Look again at how, tragically, the critical period when limbs are being formed and morning sickness occurs occurred simultaneously Damage to the fetus depends on when it is exposed to the teratogen Thalidomide malformations Sperm can also be responsible for birth defects Exposure to: Pesticides Pesticides Radiation Radiation lead, some solvents (gasoline, benzene, acetone) lead, some solvents (gasoline, benzene, acetone) cigarette smoke cigarette smoke Smoking and drugs Smoking by father is most common cause of low birth weight and death of fetus Smoking by father is most common cause of low birth weight and death of fetus Also higher incidence of facial abnormalities, heart defects and urinary tract abnormalitiesAlso higher incidence of facial abnormalities, heart defects and urinary tract abnormalities Alcohol, caffeine, cocaine, LSD and other club drugs are also linked with birth defects Alcohol, caffeine, cocaine, LSD and other club drugs are also linked with birth defects Some diseases and STDs can cause defects or destroy sperm Normal and damaged sperm NORMAL SPERM ABNORMAL SPERM Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Mental retardation of growth and brain development due to mothers alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Leading cause of mental retardation Completely preventable. 1-3 children out of every 1000 are born with FAS. At least twice as many people have some effect from alcohol exposure before birth, even though they don't have full-blown FAS More than 5,000 babies a year are born with FAS. 50,000 babies a year are born with an alcohol-related disability. Alcohol causes more serious neurological damage to the unborn baby than all illicit drugs, including cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. 17% of children born with FAS die within their first week of life. Fewer than 57% of Americans under the age of 45 have heard of FAS. Of these, less than 25% can correctly identify it. FAS characteristics small eye openings and drooping eyelids general underdevelopment of the midfacial area with a long, flat midface and receding chin small and short nose thin upper lip microcephaly, small head with lowset ears small in stature, height and especially weight problems with memory, problem solving, poor coordination, impulsiveness, speech and hearing impairment. deficits in learning skills persist even into adolescence and adulthood. Some other characteristics of FAS: low intellectual ability with an average IQ of 68 (range of FAS IQ is ) hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attention disorders (easily distracted) problems with transitions learning and memory problems special difficulties with math and math concepts poor social judgment motor dysfunctions, ie. slow motor performance time, weak grasp, difficulty with eye-hand coordination, tremors, and lack of motor coordination mental impairment and language disability What the FAS brain looks like: Facial characteristics of FAS: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in person Concerns about FAS: Children with FAS often look normal and test average, therefore expectations by teachers, parents, and employers may be unreasonable and unrealistic. Failure to recognize and diagnose FAS can result in the possibility of adequate support and intervention not being provided. This sets up a cycle of failure which can have severe effects. Abuse and neglect often play a major role in these children's lives. It is important that this is also addressed. Problem with FAS studies: Were not sure exactly how much alcohol (or how little) can have an effect on the fetus Recommendation when youre pregnant: Recommendation when youre pregnant: Dont drink AT ALL Dont drink AT ALL