Interesting Facts and Notes About Infant's Physical, Emotional, Intellectual Growth and Development

This hub is an introduction to the series of hubs I will make about infancy and baby care. Caring for children in general, not just infants is a challenging task but full of rewards, why not, once you see that your baby is smiling at you, all life's uncertainties become bearable. Part and parcel of enjoying infant's growth and development is to understand aspects of it.

The Infancy Stage

Infancy is the stage in the life of humans starting from the moment they are born until they are one year old, although the term infant itself is the time before they can talk or walk. Definitions of infancy varies, other definition of it includes children under the age of three years old.

The health provider is the best adviser pertaining to the infant's development in all aspect. The parents could do well however by asking the help and assistance of friends, relatives and grandparents.

It is important that the mother should not be overwhelmed by different and conflicting advices. It is very interesting to note that being a mother comes naturally -- it is called mother's instinct. How about the dad, there is paternal bonding which is very strong and is differentiated with that of the mothers bonding with the infant.

During the infancy stage, a careful and well informed knowledge on infants physical, emotional and intellectual growth and development should be understood by the primary caregiver because the baby doesn't know yet how to communicate with language other than crying.

The basis of baby products is a result of the understanding of infant's physical, emotional and intellectual growth and development . The toys and items for the infants are purposely made to stimulate their overall development.

Fact Number 1 -- Attachment and emotional involvement during infancy -- of both the father and the mother is very important in the stage of infancy -- to ensure the feeling of security. The infant smile and can recognize people around her at the very young stage of infancy, -- and they smile back when you smile at them or talk to them. Carrying them when they are distressed or talking to them is a good way to make them feel that they are secured. Usually the primary caregiver is the one who is most attached to the infant -- usually the mother -- specially if she is breastfeeding the baby but the father and the infants bonding can't be disregarded. Most oftentimes the father is left out during this stage, but it should not be the case.

Fact Number 2 -- Infants may develop in one areas earlier than infant in same age. Some infant may walk earlier than other, while some may be advance in social development. Often we compare our baby's development with other baby at same age. In terms of cognitive development, physical, emotional and intellectual development, It is interesting to note that infants have different levels of development (ways of behaving) -- some are calmer, and some are rather more active. As long as the health care provider is regularly contacted for the regular check up for the infant's developmental growth, there is nothing to worry about.

Fact Number 3 -- The feelings and attitude of the caregiver is usually perceive by the infant. The importance of smile and holding the baby when they cry and that you are always there for them gives them the feeling of security. As long as the baby is well fed, diaper is not wet, it is alright for them to cry at times.

Fact Number 4 -- APGAR score is the score of the newly born infant the moment it is born, It is measured by different indicators such as A-appearance, P-pulse, G-grimace, A-activity and R - respiration. It is an immediate measure of the baby's overall evaluation. The APGAR test is conducted up to five minutes after the baby is born and can be done again if the score is low. The ranges of the scores are : less than 3 - low score (needs to be tested again within thirty minutes after the baby is born), 4-6 are averagely low and 7- 10 are normal.

Fact Number 5 -- Infants grow up physically in a dramatic way during the first year and baby growth spurts are normal occurrences. Baby growth spurts are expected during infancy. Experts peg the baby growth spurts at 7 to ten days old and in different times before they reach the age of one. Some of the symptoms are waking up unusually and getting hungry often and wanted ti be fed. The normal physical growth development of the baby is monitored by the health provider and the primary caregiver which is usually the mother. Again, it is not necessary and advisable to compare your baby's physical growth with others.

Fact Number 6 -- The infant's sleeping pattern is not normalize until they are usually six months old, they sleep on different times and some wake up at night and at daytime or alternately. The mother should also rest when the baby sleep so that she may regain strength.

Fact Number 7 - The infant's physical development starts at the head and then it progresses down to the lower parts of the body --- like they smile first, sucking, sitting, crawling, then walking. Physical movements and milestones progresses up first then to the lower parts of the body.

Fact Number 8 -- The sensory development of the infant : usually an infant can hear by birth and can recognize the voice which are familiar like mom and dad. The vision of the newborn infant is such that it can see from 8 to dozen inches away and can recognize various colors by six months. As early as two months however the baby can follow your hands or any object in front of the infant.The sense of taste and smell is fully developed upon birth.

Much of the researches about emotional, physical and intellectual development of the child is centered on milestones and the developmental aspects of the infant's development. The physical, mental and emotional development of the human beings are studied in greater detail by developmental psychologists such as Freud, Piaget and E. Erikson ----- another related developmental psychologist which put forward the progression of psycho-social development in an individual. Whatever theories each of these psychologists put forward -- are the basis of many instructional knowledge and understanding about human developmental aspects.

Infancy is a critical stage in the life of human beings. It is a delicate stage because the only mode of communications by the infants is through crying. It is during this stage that the primary caregivers need to understand the infants physical, emotional and intellectual growth and development. It is important to note that even though infant developed almost in a same pattern and manner, they are unique in their own way, some aspects of development are delayed, that is why we should not compare our baby to others. The support for the mother should be given at all times and for her to make sure that she is healthy to take care of the infant. Same is true to the father, so that he will not be left alone. The health care provider is still the best adviser when it comes to the infant's physical, emotional and intellectual growth and development but relatives and friends are always there for support purposes.

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