The Lifespan Development Process
Be sure to make an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) pages in length; refer to the "Assignment Format" page for specific format requirements.
Respond to the items below.
Part A
Consider the lifespan development process and describe the following changes in the INFANT from content in your text and outside, credible sources. In your response, use resources in the last three years that support recent scientific findings, citing at least one specific example of a new discovery in each of the following areas:
1. Physical changes
2. Cognitive changes
3. Nutritional needs/changes
4. Sensory changes
Part B
Provide an explanation of the nature/nurture controversy as it pertains to each of the following. When providing your response, use at least two (2) evidence-based research resources from the last three years that support recent scientific findings, citing at least one specific example of a new discovery in each of the following areas:
Prenatal Development
Labor and Birth
Birth Complications
Development of the Competent Newborn
The Lifespan Development Process
Student Name
Institutional affiliation
Course Name and Number
Professor
Due Date
Part A
Infants are children within the 0-12 months age bracket. Infant development begins at birth, with the majority attaining critical milestones in development by the time they are aged one. Some of the fundamental changes in infants by the time they are one year old are as follows:
* Physical development
Physical development refers to the growth and changes of both body and brain in infancy. Normal development is measured with increased physical coordination and development of the brain and muscles. Infants’ development starts at the head and progresses to other body parts (Bornstein et al., 2019). For example, sucking comes first, followed by sitting and later walking. Between birth and two months, newborns can lift and turn their heads and flex their arms. 3 to 4 months of infant shows improved eye muscle control, increased hand and feet control, increased vision, developed neck muscles, and primitive reflexes faded. 5 to 6 months, an infant can sit alone for about 30 seconds and even rolls from back to stomach (Bergelson, 2020. 6 to 9 months, the infant is already crawling, walks when supported, can sit steadily, and sits from a standing position. 9 to 12 months, an infant attains some balance while standing and may take a few steps without support.
* Cognitive changes
Cognitive development refers to attention, learning, memory, thinking, language, creativity, and reasoning. Infants’ mental changes improve more at infanthood than in any other development stage. Every time they interact with their environment, they create new connections and pathways between their brain cells and nerves and their bodies and brains. It is much easier to measure physical changes in infants, but it is hard to measure cognitive changes at this stage. Children’s mental changes are best told using Piaget’s cognitive theory. According to Piaget, infants use more instincts and involuntary reactions to ask for attention, food, air, and comfort. Piaget explains the cognitive development of infants in stages (Sanghvi, 2020). For example, from 0 to–1-month, infants engage in reflexive activities such as sucking when offered the breast. At 1-4, they learn to repeat actions that please them.
For example, one will such on his fist because it feels nice. At this stage, they already see patterns of cause and effect, and when they see a bottle, they will expect food. At 4-8 months, infants start to show secondary circular reactions such as feeling things. For example, children at five months will follow objects until they disappear (Immordino-Yang et al., 2019). Finally, at 8-12 months, they start showing strong coordination of secondary schemes sub-stage. They build on what they have learned to achieve some goals. For example, they will mimic others, dropping things to see what happens.
* Nutritional needs/changes
Infants’ nutritional needs do not change within 0-12 months. But breast milk is the primary source of nutrition, especially in the first six months; their birth weight typically triples by the time they are one. Mothers are expected to breastfeed their children for at least six months and possibly introduce food and drinks after six months (Nicklaus & Schwartz, 2019). Most food given to children between 6-12 months is called complementary foods as they are perceived to add breast milk continually being fed to the infant. After six months, the infant’s digestive system has developed, and one can offer them solid food in small amounts. The baby’s stomach is still small, and only small quantities are recommended. At 6-8 months, babies can eat anything except honey. At 9-11 months, infants are fed three to four times a day, with some even eating the food using their fingers.
* Sensory changes
Infants’ sensory development starts even before birth. For example, by 18 weeks of pregnancy, an unborn child already can hear their first sounds, and by 24 weeks, their sensitivity to sound is much more developed (Nicklaus & Schwartz, 2019). Between 0-3 months, infants’ tactile system is fully developed, and they can feel a sense of touch. For example, when an adult places a finder in their palms, the infant finger will reflexively grasp the object. They also start to smile, suck to drink, and imitate facial movements in the same age bracket. At one month, ...