Running head: PRENATAL

Periods of Development Fact Sheets: Prenatal

Terrance White

ECE 497

Instructor Sandi Levinson

April 10, 2015

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Periods of Development Fact Sheets: Prenatal

Prenatal development is one of the most importance stages of physical development.

Physical development is essential to the formation of the body and childrens senses throughout
life. The child in utero continues through three trimesters that continue from the stage of zygote
to the neonate. The embryo is developed in the uterus and completes productions of major events
that develops into the fetus. The physical traits and characteristics of the neonate is determined
by the adaptive environment that is protected from abnormalities or teratogens. Children harmed
during pregnancy suffer by significant deformities and health risks.

The first of all physical developmental milestones occur during pregnancy. Berk (2014)
stated, With conception, the story of prenatal development begins to unfold (p. 89). Certain
features like gender, sex, brain activity, and anatomy develop during each stage of development.
The impacts to neonates continually provide a model of conception from birth. There are ranges
of physical development that ranges from biological periods of social constructs and convenient
grouping. In retrospect, this period is examined as conception to birth. Throughout pregnancy,
the fetus begins three trimesters of genetic coding.

In early childhood, children display many efforts to access participatory approaches to

physical development. This can include turn-taking and more fine-tuning motor skills. Children
learn to play considering sex differences. In preschool, children are active learners and simply
want to move. The childs development begins to evolve explaining maturation. Other influences
are immunizations and nutrition.

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Brain development and cognition are important contributions to developmental

milestones in children. The importance of the interrelatedness is to provide adaptive value to the
childs abilities to grow. Mosser (2011) stated, Results again indicated that infants were able to
imitate behaviors right from birth (p. 116). Cognitive development shares the manipulation of
thought, imagination, conceptualization, and perception. The pruning of the brain allows many
processes to occur. Cognition allows children to develop, explore, and organize the world around
them.

Brain growth is a very important stage of prenatal development. Marotz and Allen (2013)
stated, Brain maturation lays the foundation for all other aspects of a childs development (p.
28). As the human brain develops during utero, the fetus is complex and the amount of synapses
causes the brain to produce many different functions of brain activity. Berk (2014) stated, The
basic story of brain growth concerns how neurons develop and form tis elaborate communication
system (p. 185). Some of the brain and its normal functions contribute to lateralization,
myelination, and plasticity later on in toddlerhood.

Prenatal periods of development have many factors that affect atypical development. The
impacts of pregnancy can make incomplete and inconsistent patterns and sequences until birth.
Complications, such as ecological factors, contribute to the development. The influences of
atypical development provides several understandings of developmental delay and complex
transitional processes.

The result of atypical development can be described by indications of developmental

experiences in utero. Davis et al. (2010) stated, Premature birth and low birth weight are

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examples of two conditions that increase a childs vulnerability and chances of developing
physical problems, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, or all three (as cited in Marotz &
Allen, 2013, p. 33). Three most common atypical developmental problems are cleft palate, spina
bifida, and cerebral palsy. The importance of good nutrition, prenatal care, and avoiding
substance abuse supports typical development.

Families can support many first developmental milestones of infants during prenatal
stages of development. Berk (2014) stated, At birth, infants are prepared for some aspects of
conversational behaviors (p. 370). The family especially the parents can develop feelings of
trust and bonding while in utero. The attention received in utero explains the importance of
learning and developmental strategies that influence healthy and normal experiences.

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Reference

Berk, L.E. (2014). Child development, 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education, Inc.

Mossler, R. (2011). Child and adolescent development. San Diego, CA:

Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Marotz, L.R. & Allen, K.E. (2013). Developmental profiles: Pre-birth through

adolescence. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.