INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD DEVELOPMENT 1

PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT
Infancy and Toddlerhood Introduction

F
rom the prenatal period, brain development continues and
involves more mature stages. The first two years after birth
continue to be crucial stages of a childs early development.
Two Physical
It is where connections of axons and dendrites are coming Developmental Milestones
together, forming synapses for the function of neuron development Two Language Developmental
Milestones
growth. These connections are developing a healthy process throughout Two Cognitive Developmental
Milestones
childhood development growth. In these early stages, environmental One Sign of Atypical Development
factors play the primary role in the process of brain development. When One Family Strategy to Influence
Learning and Development
anatomical structures are formed, connections are becoming active,
setting the stage for interaction to occur. The infants brain development Two Social -Emotional Milestones
allows the young child to adapt to the changes of both self and its Two Signs of Atypical
Development
surroundings through the brain plasticity. From the time of conception,
One Social Factor Influence
internal activity has evolved with the changes in external inputs.
One Cultural Factor Influence

Functional brain development fosters growth across the domains of Two Moral Reasoning/Self-
Regulation Milestones
development. The importance of environmental facts can determine
One Video and two graphic images
behavior development in the young child. Environmental factors can
Reference Page
enhance or limit the growth of functional and structural connections of
the brain and behavior. Piaget firmly believed that young childrens
cognitive development is initiated by the response to their experiences
within the environment. The schemes are processed by the environments
experiences and how they are assimilated. The child begins to organize
their knowledge and develop an understanding of their experiences from
the environment. Attachment during the early stages after birth is
crucial, becoming the psychological bond between the caregiver and the
young child. The psychological bond will foster the internal mode and
establish relationships as the infant responds to the social world. As the
child familiarizes with their caregiver, trust and a sense security are
forming for a more desirable outcome in the later stages of toddlerhood.
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Attachment quality is necessary for an infants development to promote desirable behaviors. If the young childs
needs are not met or nourished adequately, insecurity can occur affecting all the domains in later development.
INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD DEVELOPMENT
PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT
Infancy and Toddlerhood Fact Sheet
By Sylvia Sisneroz
ECE497: Child Development
Capstone Course (CNM724DS)
Instructor: Pilar Carroll
Date: June 26, 2017
5 Periods of Developmental
Fact Sheets
Prenatal
Infancy and Toddlerhood
Early Childhood
Middle Childhood
Adolescence
Infancy and Toddlerhood Period
Mommy sit, Where daddy? (Mossler, 2015, Ch. 9.3). Reading and singing songs with a young child as
early as infancy can help encourage speech and language development.
3
TYPICAL MILESTONES FOR THIS PERIOD OF
DEVELOPMENT
Two Physical Developmental Milestones
The infants motor development is growing rapidly in sequence
stages from the moro reflex to more advance motor functioning.
According to Introduction to Psychology, babies first learn to hold
their heads up, then to sit with assistance, and then to sit unassisted
followed by crawling stages, and then walking (Psychology, n.d.).
Perceptual development is linked to cognitive development which
allows the young child to interpret their new experiences. The young
child begins to understand sensory inputs when becoming actively
engaged with new skills around them. It is highly recommended to
provide the young child with a stimulus-rich environment, as this will
enrich motor development skills towards meeting each milestone such
as balancing their bodies in the sitting position.
Two Language Developmental Milestones
In the first few months of an infants development they make
typical sounds such as cooing and gurgling and forming gestures and
giving facial expressions called prelinguistic communication.
Prelinguistic communication prepares the infant for more advanced
skills at a later stage of their development. However, toddlers begin
to make sentences by noun-verb combinations such as Doggie run,
INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD DEVELOPMENT 4

Two Cognitive Development Milestones

The frequent physical changes that are occurring in the infant stage of development begin with the brain and
the nervous system. According to research, sensory neurons are related to cognition. When the infant is
stimulated by new experiences such as objects, sounds heard and movement, the neurons become extended to
reach other neurons to form new synapses (Mossler, Ch. 5.2). When the infant is given the opportunity to pass
an object from one hand to the other hand, the child has reached a typical stage of development, and new
synapses are continued to be develop in the brain with each potential the infant is receiving. This physical
development serves as a biological foundation for learning (Mossler, Ch. 5.2). Another typical cognitive
development milestone would be the grasping of objects. The infant begins assimilating as they learn to
organize their new experiences with objects.

One Sign of Atypical Development

Infant relationship is crucial as this affects various unmet development milestones. For example, when an
infant establishes a relationship with their caregiver, the infant develops a social interaction during infancy. The
bonding helps them to evoke stimulation with the caregivers interaction. When this bond is absent, the
behavior is atypical. The infant cannot make eye contact, imitate, or pick up nonverbal social cues (Berk, Ch.
4.3). Therefore, the infant becomes delayed when focusing on objects, the foundation of play.

One Family Strategy to Influence Learning and Development

A recommended strategy would be that parents or a caregiver should at every opportunity provide stimulation
for the infant through interaction. This provides techniques to help infants become aware of their physical and
social surroundings (Berk, Ch. 4.3). One strategy is to combine sound and touch and place the infants hands to
the adults face when talking or singing to the infant (Berk, Ch. 4.3).

Additional Information
INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD DEVELOPMENT 5

Atypical Development

A lack of responsiveness to infants needs can produce atypical development from deprived typical rearing
experiences. An example of experiences that lack physical stimulation would be children from Romanian
orphans living in institutions. When these children were taken
to preschool programs, most had been impaired in all
domains of development (Berk, 2013, Ch. 4.4). However,
infants that were adopted before the age of six months could
catch-up cognitively.

Figure 1 Romania Infant Orphan

One Socio-Cultural Factor Influence

Cultural factors vary across the cultural influences. Interaction

and the young childs social setting is dependent on social
cultural interaction. These influences, such as family background
and social expectations, can have a major role in the childs
development.

Figure 2 Social and Personality Development

INFANCY AND TODDLERHOOD DEVELOPMENT 6

Figure 3 Child Development Milestones

Two Play-Based Activities

Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) I & II A Responsive Parenting Program for Parents of Infants and
Toddlers Retrieved from https://www.socio.com/eipardd07.php

Helping Children Play and Learn Together Retrieved from

https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/201001/OstroskyWeb0110.pdf
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