Infancy Stage

Physical Development
1-4 months: The infant should wrap their fingers around objects that are placed in their hands (University of Pittsburg, n.d). 4-8 months: Infants should purposefully reach for things (University of Pittsburg, n.d).

Cognitive Development
1-4 months: Attracted to peoples voices (University of Pittsburg, n.d). 4-8 months: Can anticipate being fed and will open mouth at the sight of food (University of Pittsburg, n.d).

Language Development
Infants develop preferences for certain sounds (University of Pittsburg, n.d). 4-8 months: babbling (University of Pittsburg, n.d).

Moral Reasoning
Infants are able to judge an individual based on their actions (Scarf, Imuta, Colombo, & Hayne, 2012). Infants can understand if a person is being helpful or if they are hindering a process (Scarf, Imuta, Colombo, & Hayne, 2012).

Signs of atypical development

If the infant stops making a steady volume of progress over several weeks (Berk, 2013). Abnormal crying: Infants with brain damage will have shrill, piercing, and shorter cries than a healthy infant (Berk, 2013).

Strategies for parents to influence development

Reinforce the infants speech and language attempts by maintaining eye contact, responding to the infant with speech, and imitating the infants vocalizations (ASHA, 2014). Respond to your infants cries. Responsive parents help their children learn to self-regulate their emotions (Berk, 2013).

Cultural Influences
Culture has a strong influence on infant sleeping arrangements. 90% of the worlds cultures call co-sleeping the norm. Infants who co-sleep have been found to breast feed three times

longer than infants who do not. Some researchers believe that co-sleeping can also be a safeguard for infants at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Berk, 2013).

Toddlerhood
Physical Development
Can jump and hop (Berk, 2013). Push a riding toy with their feet and even steer a little (Berk, 2013).

Cognitive Development
The ability to find an object without the object being in the childs sight (Berk, 2013). Children begin to understand that pictures and videos are symbolic of actuality (Berk, 2013).

Language Development
18 months: Uses telegraphic speech or one word utterances (Turnbull & Justice, 2012). 24 months: Two element sentences will be used. Examples are, Mommy go, or Daddy up. (Turnbull & Justice, 2012).

Moral Reasoning
Children are developing empathy (Hatter, 2013). Children have a desire to lend a helping hand (Hatter, 2013).

Signs of atypical development

If the child shows a delay in learning language or does not talk at all (Help Guide, n.d.). If the child is absorbed in themselves (Berk, 2013).

Strategies for parents to influence development

Build on the childs interest and ideas to extend conversations. Use the childs interest to facilitate adult directed activities.