Deck 4: Infancy: Physical Development

Question 1

Infants with failure to thrive (FTT) are more likely to be described as voracious eaters.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Cephalocaudal development proceeds from the feet to the head.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

As they age, children become more passive in response to their environments.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Myelin allows electrical messages to be conducted efficiently in the nervous system.

Question 5

It is important to completely restrict infants' intake of fat and cholesterol.

Question 6

Unlike physical development, motor development does not follow cephalocaudal and proximodistal patterns.

Question 7

A child's growth can be slowed from its genetically predetermined course by many organic factors. This phenomenon is referred to as canalization.

Question 8

According to a study by Walker in 2010, infant formulas are considered by most health professionals to be the "medical gold standard."

Question 9

The most dramatic gains in height and weight occur during the first year of life.

Question 10

Infants have more connections among neurons than adults do.

Question 11

When one-month-old neonates are given the opportunity to look at human faces, they tend to pay most attention to the edges.

Question 12

Neonates have highly developed peripheral vision.

Question 13

The cerebellum is the part of the brain involved in coordination and balance.

Question 14

Infants need more iron, pound for pound, than adults do.

Question 15

The cerebral cortex is only one-eighth of an inch thick.

Question 16

Axons receive impulses from other neurons.

Question 17

The first major growth spurt of the brain occurs during the fourth and fifth months after birth.

Question 18

The head develops more rapidly than the rest of the body during the embryonic stage.

Question 19

The medulla refers to an area in the front part of the brain and is responsible for higher-level thinking and memory.

Question 20

Infants usually double their birth weight in about five months and triple it by the first birthday.

Question 21

If a neonate's finger is pricked or burned, he or she may withdraw the finger and also thrash about, cry, and show general signs of distress. If a toddler's finger is pricked or burned, he or she shows distress and withdraws the finger, but is less likely to thrash about wildly. This scenario best exemplifies _____.

A) the Babinski reflex
B) an instance of regression
C) the Moro reflex
D) an instance of differentiation

Question 22

Identify a true statement about infant growth during the second year after birth?

A) All infants grow about seven to nine inches taller during this time.
B) The growth rates of shorter-than-average infants tend to speed up during this time.
C) The growth of taller-than-average infants continues to speed up during this time.
D) Boys mature more quickly than girls during this time.

Question 23

Isabel is a 5-month-old girl. She has not gained any weight in the last month. She feeds and sleeps irregularly. She also cries frequently and becomes irritable whenever her mother picks her up. Isabel is most likely to be diagnosed with _____.

A) multiple sclerosis
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) failure to thrive syndrome
D) Down syndrome

Question 24

An adult's arms are nearly:

A) three times the length of the head.
B) five times the length of the head.
C) four times the length of the head.
D) six times the length of the head.

Question 25

_____ refers to the tendency of growth rates to return to normal after undergoing environmentally induced change.

A) Canalization
B) Myelination
C) Differentiation
D) Habituation

Question 26

Organic failure to thrive is caused by _____.

A) environmental factors
B) biological factors
C) social factors
D) both psychological and social factors

Question 27

Which of the following is true of growth in infancy?

A) Infants grow in spurts.
B) Infants grow constantly during the first year of life.
C) Growth during prenatal development is less dramatic than growth during infancy.
D) The growth rates of taller-than-average infants, as a group, always tend to speed up after the second year of life.

Question 28

Which of the following is a central feature of failure to thrive?

A) The presence of a third copy of chromosome 21
B) The complete absence of rapid eye movement sleep
C) Feeding problem
D) Excessive growth due to hormonal imbalance

Question 29

Max, a two-year-old boy, suffered from jaundice for three months. During this period, he lost five pounds and his physical growth was not normal. After he recovered from his illness, he gained eight pounds and grew by two inches. Max's growth after his recovery from jaundice can be described as _____.

A) canalization
B) myelination
C) differentiation
D) habituation

Question 30

The most dramatic gains in height and weight occur during:

A) prenatal development.
B) adolescence.
C) infancy.
D) the first few hours of birth.

Question 31

According to a research done by Lampl et al., which of the following is true of growth patterns in infants?

A) An infant's length increases by one-fifth of an inch to a full inch in less than 24 hours.
B) An infant grows constantly during the first year of life.
C) Growth during prenatal development is less dramatic than growth during infancy.
D) An infant's length increases by one centimeter to one-and-a-half centimeters in the first month of birth.

Question 32

Which of the following statements is true of growth patterns in girls?

A) Girls reach about half their adult height by the age of 10 months.
B) Girls reach about half their adult height by the age of 18 months.
C) Girls reach about one-fourth their adult height by three years of age.
D) Girls reach about one-tenth their adult height by six years of age.

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true about cephalocaudal development?

A) Infants gain control over their lower legs, feet, and toes before gaining control over their hips and arms.
B) The spinal cord develops more rapidly than the brain.
C) Leg buds form before arm buds.
D) Infants can sit up before they can crawl and walk.

Question 34

The brain regulates the growth and development of the body and influences basic drives, such as hunger and thirst, through the _____.

A) Moro reflex
B) generation of amniotic fluid
C) secretion of hormones
D) Babinski reflex

Question 35

Among neonates, the arms:

A) are longer than the legs.
B) are shorter than the legs.
C) are about the same length as the legs.
D) develop more slowly than the legs after the first birthday due to cephalocaudal development.

Question 36

Samantha, a three-year-old girl, showed stunted growth. She weighed only 22 pounds and was much shorter than most of her peers six months ago. She was treated for failure to thrive. She is now returning to her normal growth rate, and her weight is showing an increase. Which of the following phenomena does this scenario represent?

A) Canalization
B) Myelination
C) Differentiation
D) Habituation

Question 37

Which of the following statements is true of growth patterns in boys?

A) Boys reach about half their adult height by two years of age.
B) Boys reach about one-third their adult height by five years of age.
C) Boys reach about one-fourth their adult height by four years of age.
D) Boys reach about one-tenth their adult height by three years of age.

Question 38

Max is a seven-month-old baby who was abandoned at an orphanage. He does not get enough nutrition and has not put on any weight in the last few months. A medical worker examines Max and suspects that his condition is the result of inadequate care. Max is most likely to be diagnosed with _____.

A) multiple sclerosis
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) failure to thrive syndrome
D) Down syndrome

Question 39

In the context of growth patterns in the height of infants studied by Lampl et al., infants:

A) remain the same size for the first six months.
B) remain the same size for 2 to 63 days.
C) grow more rapidly than neonates.
D) do not grow in spurts.

Question 40

As children mature, their behaviors become _____.

A) less organized
B) less distinct
C) more global
D) more specific

Question 41

Many women bottle-feed because:

A) they return to work after childbirth and are unavailable to breast-feed.
B) breast-feeding increases the risk of early breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
C) breast milk is more likely to cause childhood lymphoma.
D) bottle-fed infants are less likely to develop obesity later in life.

Question 42

Which of the following is true of neurons?

A) A neonate has lesser neurons than an adult.
B) A neonate's spinal cord contains more neurons than the brain.
C) As a child matures, axons in neurons shorten.
D) Infants are born with about 100 billion neurons, most of which are in the brain.

Question 43

In the context of infant nutrition, infants _____.

A) need significantly less iron, pound for pound, than adults do
B) do not need iron content in their diet
C) need significantly more iron, pound for pound, than adults do
D) need iron depending on their gender, similar to adults

Question 44

Messages are released from axon terminals in the form of chemicals called _____.

A) enzymes
B) neurotransmitters
C) amines
D) hormones

Question 45

The introduction of whole cow's milk to an infant:

A) should be delayed until the infant is nine to twelve months old.
B) should be delayed until the infant is two to three years old.
C) is recommended from the time of birth of the infant.
D) is recommended by about four to six months of age.

Question 46

Which of the following statements is true of dendrites?

A) They extend trunk-like from the cell body in a neuron.
B) They are short fibers that constitute neurons.
C) They account for much of the difference in length in neurons.
D) They become shorter as a child develops.

Question 47

In the context of neurons, which of the following is a function of the myelin sheath?

A) It facilitates the entry of electrically charged atoms in the fluids that encase the nervous system into the neurons.
B) It prevents electrical messages from traveling down an axon.
C) It facilitates the creation of neurotransmitters.
D) It minimizes leakage of the electric current being carried along an axon.

Question 48

An individual develops intellectual disability because of a disorder called phenylketonuria. Which of the following occurrences is a cause of the intellectual disability in the individual?

A) The replacement of myelin by hard, fibrous tissue in the individual's neurons
B) The inhibition of normal myelin development in the individual's brain
C) Insulation of the neurons by myelin
D) Myelination of the prefrontal matter of the individual's brain

Question 49

Billy is a four-year-old boy. He has trouble walking and running like other children his age, and he sleeps through most of the day. He is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Billy's condition is the result of _____.

A) the abnormal lengths of the axons
B) a disruption in his myelin sheaths
C) the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21
D) a disruption in his rapid eye movement sleep

Question 50

Breakdown of myelin is believed to be associated with _____, a source of cognitive decline that begins later in life.

A) multiple sclerosis
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) autism
D) Down syndrome

Question 51

According to a research conducted by Rose et al. in 2014, which of the following is a downside to breast-feeding?

A) An increased risk of early breast cancer and ovarian cancer in mothers
B) An increased risk of transmission of HIV to infants by infected mothers
C) An increased risk of childhood lymphoma in infants
D) The likelihood of infants developing serious cases of diarrhea

Question 52

From birth, infants should be:

A) fed breast milk.
B) fed cow's milk.
C) introduced to solid food.
D) given finger foods.

Question 53

The basic units of the nervous system are cells called _____.

A) ova
B) neurons
C) lymphocytes
D) neutrophils

Question 54

Which of the following is true of myelination?

A) It is complete at birth.
B) Myelination of the brain's prefrontal matter is completed during neonatal development.
C) The breakdown of myelin generally occurs in the first decade of life.
D) It is part of the maturation process that leads to the abilities to crawl and walk during the first year after birth.

Question 55

Which of the following is true of the diet for infants?

A) Infants usually have a preference for those foods they need the most.
B) Infants do not require fiber in their diet after the introduction of solid foods.
C) In an infant's diet, high-iron foods should be restricted.
D) In an infant's diet, fat and cholesterol should not be restricted too much.

Question 56

Which of the following is a guideline for infant nutrition from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2011?

A) Completely restrict the intake of fat.
B) Introduce new foods one at a time.
C) Completely restrict the intake of cholesterol.
D) Avoid high-iron foods.

Question 57

The high _____ of a myelin sheath insulates a neuron from electrically charged atoms in the fluids that encase the nervous system.

A) fat content
B) protein content
C) carbohydrate content
D) fiber content

Question 58

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants should be fed breast milk:

A) only for the first two weeks.
B) only for the first six months.
C) for at least four years.
D) for at least one year.

Question 59

The introduction of finger foods to an infant is recommended:

A) at about two months of age.
B) in the latter part of the first year.
C) from the time of birth of an infant.
D) at two to three years of age.

Question 60

In the context of introducing solid foods to an infant, which of the following is recommended?

A) Solid foods should not be introduced until about 12 to 15 months of age.
B) Solid foods should be introduced only when an infant is two to three years of age.
C) Solid foods should be given to an infant from birth.
D) Solid foods should not be introduced until about four to six months of age.

Question 61

Samson is a seven-year-old boy. He always gets poor grades in school. His language teacher complains that he does not remember anything that she teaches and he speaks in an incoherent manner. If Samson's condition is caused by brain damage, which part of the brain is his physician most likely to check first?

A) The cerebellum
B) The medulla
C) The cerebrum
D) The auditory cortex

Question 62

Raymond, a one-year-old infant, loves playing with his rattle. He holds it in his hand by making a tight fist and shakes it vigorously. This is an example of _____.

A) a pincer grasp
B) canalization
C) an ulnar grasp
D) habituation

Question 63

Baby Marla's brain cannot control her heartbeat and respiration. Which part of her brain is most likely damaged?

A) The medulla
B) The cerebellum
C) The cerebrum
D) The hypothalamus

Question 64

Baby Bonita is eight months old. Which of the following motor activities is she most likely to be involved in?

A) Walking
B) Crawling
C) Standing up without support
D) Running

Question 65

Which of the following is true of an infant's brain?

A) At birth, an infant's brain is fully developed.
B) An infant's brain reaches nearly 70 percent of its adult weight by the age of one year.
C) An infant's brain is not myelinated at birth.
D) Infants have lesser connections among neurons than adults do.

Question 66

In the context of the ability of neonates to lift and hold their torsos and heads, which of the following is true?

A) They generally manage to hold their heads quite well; hence, supporting the head is not necessary.
B) They cannot move their heads on their own.
C) They can move their heads slightly to the side.
D) They can lift their heads and torsos for short periods of time when on their stomachs.

Question 67

Maggie, an infant, is holding a toy clumsily, using only her fingers and palm. This is an example of _____.

A) a pincer grasp
B) canalization
C) an ulnar grasp
D) habituation

Question 68

Myelination of motor pathways:

A) increases the speed at which an infant can process cognitive information.
B) begins during the fifth month of pregnancy and continues till birth.
C) results in poorly coordinated motor movements.
D) allows neonates to show stereotyped reflexes.

Question 69

Which of the following is true of the cerebellum?

A) It is located above the medulla.
B) It becomes increasingly wrinkled as a child develops.
C) It controls basic functions, such as heartbeat and respiration.
D) It is only one-eighth of a centimeter in length.

Question 70

Juan, a three-year-old baby, fell from his bed and ever since has had poor limb, and eye control. He also finds it difficult to hold his toys. Which part of Juan's brain is most likely to be damaged?

A) The medulla
B) The cerebellum
C) The cerebrum
D) The hypothalamus

Question 71

Which of the following statements is true of the medulla?

A) Many nerves that connect the spinal cord to higher levels of the brain pass through the medulla.
B) The medulla lies above the cerebellum.
C) It is primarily responsible for controlling motor behavior in humans.
D) It is primarily responsible for controlling temperature changes in the human body.

Question 72

Dennis is four months old. He holds his toys between his fingers and palm when he plays with them. He does not use his thumb even after his mother shows him how to hold something the right way. This is an example of _____.

A) an ulnar grasp
B) canalization
C) a pincer grasp
D) habituation

Question 73

Voluntary reaching and grasping are not present at birth because these actions require:

A) visual-motor coordination.
B) the development of abstract reasoning.
C) habituation.
D) neonates to direct their attention to the edges of objects.

Question 74

Infants' brains are different from adults' brains in that infants' brains:

A) have more connections among neurons than adults' brains do.
B) comprise a significantly smaller percentage of the body size.
C) completely comprise non-myelinated neurons.
D) have around 300 billion neurons.

Question 75

Infants can hold objects in each hand and inspect them in turn by the age of _____.

A) two months
B) eleven months
C) four days
D) three weeks

Question 76

Elsa is a one-year-old infant. Her mother notices that while playing in the garden, Elsa often picks up tiny insects and worms by making a tight fist. A few months before, she had only been able to pat the insects and not pick them up as they were so tiny. This is an example of _____.

A) a pincer grasp
B) canalization
C) an ulnar grasp
D) habituation

Question 77

Infants can transfer objects back and forth between hands by the age of _____.

A) one to two months
B) four to six months
C) three to four days
D) two to three weeks

Question 78

Which of the following is true of locomotive development in infants?

A) Most infants begin to crawl at about six months.
B) Crawling appears a month or so after creeping.
C) By about seven months, infants usually begin to sit up by themselves.
D) Most infants can remain in a standing position by holding on to something at the age of five months.

Question 79

Physical development is similar to motor development in that:

A) the latter follows cephalocaudal and proximodistal patterns and differentiation.
B) the latter begins after the neonatal stage.
C) the latter occurs independent of other factors such as environment or nutrition.
D) the latter follows the same patterns as sensory and perceptual development.

Question 80

Which of the following is true of the growth spurts of the brain?

A) The first major growth spurt of the brain occurs during the fourth and fifth months of prenatal development.
B) The first major growth spurt of the brain occurs between the 25th week of prenatal development and the end of the second year after birth.
C) The first growth spurt of the brain is due primarily to the proliferation of dendrites and axon terminals.
D) The second growth spurt of the brain is due to the formation of neurons.