2. Developmental Science
Infantdevelopment is not an exact
science, however developmental scientist
have been able to construct
development in infancy through average
developmental milestones.
Four developmental
stages, cognitive, physical, social, and
emotional development within infancy.
3. First Post: Cognitive
Development
During the first 3 months Neuron Networks become more
complex because the infants brain is making more connections
everyday through different sensory exposer. As the infant grows
throughout infancy those Neurons continue to progress and
cause many different aspects of development and growth.
The sucking reflex can be seen when the infant will suck on
anything that comes in contact with its lips
As they progress they will combine grasping with sucking or
simply just staring while touching.
The environment also can impact the cognitive development
of an infant through exposer to different sensory
experiences, and reactions to those experiences which will
then influence behavior.
Infant responds differently when it is exposed than when it is
not exposed, can be tested through visual aids, auditory
exposer, and touch.
4. Cognitive Development
During the 3-6 month period cognitive development infants
begin to progress outside themselves and
respond, recognize, and interact with others and objects.
The infant can respond to a familiar voice or sounds by
smiling, turning head, or crying.
The infant can recognize familiar people and objects from close
range or at a distance.
The infant can interact with others and objects by watching
faces closely, watching moving objects, starts using hands and
eyes in coordination with others and objects, and begins to
make sounds and babble others and objects.
The infant can demonstrate changes in their ability to
cause change
Ex. The different sounds a toy makes by the different ways it is
maneuvered.
5. Cognitive Development
During the 6-9 month period an infant is able
to babble, trying to verbalize the sounds they
hear and have better awareness of the world
around them, with people and objects.
They can coordinate schemes to produce a
solitary act like crying for attention, or moving
other objects to get to a desired object.
They also have a more developed sensory
ability, and able to learn that specific actions
have reactions.
6. Cognitive Development
During the 9-12 month period infants respond
to others actions and words
Can understand “no”
Their babble now has inflections or changes
in tone
They can also use simple holophrases such as
ma, mama, which can both indicate mother.
In this stage infants can also easily fide hidden
objects, or object permanence
7. Cognitive Development
Object
Permanence-
which means
people and
objects still exist
even when they
cannot be seen.
Mommy doesn’t
disappear playing
peek-a-boo.
8. Second Post: Physical
Development
Within the 0-3 month period of physical
development the brain and the nervous system
are the bases of development because the brain
tells the body what to do, how to grow and move.
However at this stage the body grows in a way it
can function, with the most important parts being
the head and mid-section.
For instance at 0-3 months an infant develops
visual abilities and bodily functions before they
have the ability to navigate their limbs accurately.
Movements and grasping are awkward and
imprecise.
Eating and rooting are also developed first.
9. Physical Development
During the 3-6 month period an infant has the
ability to move and control its body and limbs
more than in the previous months.
Now the infant can control its neck and
head, lifting its head and chest while on its
stomach.
Practices kicking and swimming motions on
stomach and back.
Learns to grasp and swipe objects more
efficiently.
Pushes down on legs when feet are on hard
surface.
Can also sit with supportive aid, and later without
aid.
10. Physical Development
During the 6-9 month period many infants can
move themselves in particular directions and
start to develop the fundamentals of
sitting, crawling, walking, precise grasping.
At this age infants can usually sit without
assistance.
Most infants crawl in between 8-10 months and
start walking at around 9 months with aids and
supports.
At around 8 months infants can grasp with
thumb and finger, or hand eye coordination.
11. Physical Development
By 9-12 months most infants can sit up on
their own, pull themselves to a stand, walk
holding on to furniture or sometimes without
aids.
For the most part it depends on the infant, but
usually by a year old most infants can
walk, however it is not uncommon for them to
walk on their own after a year.
At this age infants can also take objects out
of objects/things and put them back in. They
also tend to poke/point with their index finger.
13. Third Post: Social Development
During the 0-3 month period, parents are
usually the infants first playmates, there for the
infant develops off of the parents social
interactions, basically the parent teaches the
infant how to act and respond.
Infants as young as 3 months old can
comprehend emotion through facial
expressions, verbal tones, and body
movements, which in turn causes the infant to
develop social emotions they express through
“smile,” enjoyment, disappointment, or sadness.
14. Social Development
During the 3-6 month period social
development will progress to smiling at
familiar faces showing eagerness to interact
Infant enjoys playtime and interactions and
shows signs of disappointment when ended.
However infant can self comfort.
The infant is more able to communicate with
body and face.
15. Social Development
Infants within the 6-9 month period show more
attachments to familiar caregivers, and show
more anxiety with strangers.
During the 9-12 month period infants can be
shy, anxious, or outgoing and content.
It depends on their exposer to others, and how
often.
Infants in this stage enjoy imitation, and will
often repeat sounds and gestures.
At this age infants will often test their
caregivers response to their behavior.
17. Fourth Post: Emotional
Development
At first during the 0-3 month period there is not
much emotion that an infant understands.
All an infant understands in survival instincts such
as feeding, sleeping, and changing.
Most of the time these are the only reasons an
infant will distress.
However if an infant is not allowed the
opportunity to learn how to self sooth then
that infant will require more soothing from
outside influences
18. Emotional development
During the 3-6 month period infants
developed emotion identification.
Where they are able to recognize the
emotions in others through facial
expressions, vocal expression, and body
expression.
Although some say that emotional expression
may be inborn, and that expression might
happen without witnessing it.
19. Emotional Development
Within the 6-9 month period infants can
display a sense of panic when emotional
interaction is taken away.
In some test it was shown how an infant would
panic and start crying when a caregiver cease
emotion and interaction.
The test may have answered questions of
whether or not infants need emotion to
communicate.
Is it possible that infants understand emotion
enough to asses others moods?
20. Emotional Development
During the 9-12 month period infants use their
understanding of emotions to scheme and
coordinate acts.
They understand better the use of
crying, laughing, smiling, kissing, and touch as
ways to express wants and needs.
They have also become aware of the emotions
of others and are able to express empathy.
Caregivers reactions also influence a child's
emotions and how they deal with them.
Which can also influence their temperament.