Infant - Newborn Development

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Description

When describing infant development, tasks are generally categorized into the following headings: Gross motor (e.g., head control, sitting, walking), fine motor (e.g., holding a spoon, pincer grasp), sensory, language, and social development.

The physical development of the infant begins at the head, then progresses to other parts of the body (for example, sucking precedes sitting, which precedes walking).

Physical milestones:

• newborn through 2 months
  • The infant can lift and turn the head when lying on its back.
  • The neck is unable to support the head when pulled to a sitting position.
  • The hands are fisted, the arms are flexed.
  • Primitive reflexes are in full operation. These include:
    • rooting and sucking -- turns head in search for nipple when cheek is touched and begins to suck when nipple touches lips.
    • tonic neck response -- leg extends on side of head direction, flexion occurs in opposite arm and leg.
    • palmar hand grasp -- closure over finger.
    • plantar grasp -- flexion of toe and forefoot.
    • Babinski -- toes fan when sole of foot is stroked.
    • Moro -- extension and abduction of the arms followed by flexion and adduction.
    • placing -- leg extends when sole of foot is stimulated.
    • stepping and walking -- takes brisk steps when both feet placed on a surface, with body supported.
• 3 through 4 months
  • Primitive reflexes have either already disappeared, or are in the process of doing so.
  • Hand and feet actions begin to come under willed control, but are by no means fine-tuned. The infant may begin to use both hands, working together, to accomplish desired effects. The infant is still unable to coordinate the grasp, but swipes at objects to bring them closer to self.
  • The infant raises self (upper torso, shoulders, and head) with arms when lying face down (prone).
  • Neck muscles are developed enough to allow the infant to sit, with support, and keep it's head up.
  • Enhanced eye muscular control allows the infant to track objects.
  • Increased acuity of vision allows the infant to discriminate objects from backgrounds with minimal contrast (such as a button on a blouse of the same color).
• 5 through 6 months
  • The infant begins to grasp blocks or cubes using ulnar-palmar grasp technique (presses block into palm of hand while flexing or bending wrist in). Does not yet use thumb opposition.
  • The infant rolls from back to stomach (prone position). When prone, the infant can push up with arms to raise the shoulders and head above surface and look around or reach for objects.
  • Able to sit alone, without support, for only moments initially and then up to 30 seconds or more.
• 6 through 9 months
  • The infant able to sit steadily, without support, for long periods of time.
  • The infant may pull self into and maintain a standing position while holding onto furniture.
  • The infant can walk while holding the hand of an adult.
  • The infant learns to sit down from a standing position.
• 9 through 12 months
  • The infant begins to balance while standing alone.
  • The infant takes steps and begins to walk alone.