Infancy Period
- Play: Infants enjoy solitary play.
Appropriate toys for infants generally depend on their age:
1 month – mobiles over a crib or playpen, music box, musical rattle
2 months – small rattles, mobiles or cradle gyms strung across the crib
3 months – small blocks and small rattles, needs a playpen to practice the skill of rolling over
5 months – plastic rings, blocks, squeeze toys, clothespins, rattles and plastic keys
6 months – bathtub toys such as rubber ducks or plastic boats, teething rings
7 months – blocks, rattles, plastic keys, brightly colored balls
8 months – toys that feel differently to infants are enjoyable at this age because of their sensitivity to texture differences. Velvet, fur, fuzzy or smooth items are ideal for these children.
9 months – space for creeping, nest of blocks that go inside one another, rings of assorted sizes that fit on a center post
10 months – peek-a-boo, patty-cake games
12 months – boxes that is inside one another, blocks, cardboard boxes, pull toys (when they can walk), listening to music
- Development of Senses
Vision
1 month – midline vision
2 months – focus well and follows objects past midline, binocular vision
4 months – recognize familiar objects and follows their parent’s movements eagerly
6 months – organized depth perception
7 months – pats their images in a mirror, matured depth of perception
10 months – looks under the towel or around a corner for a hidden object
Hearing
1 month – quiets momentarily at a distinctive sound such as a bell or a squeaky rubber toy
2 months – acute hearing awareness, stops an activity at the sound of spoken words
3 months – turns head to locate sounds
4 months – when distinctive sound is heard they turn and look at that direction
5 months – can localize sound downward and to the side by turning their head and looking down
6 months – able to locate sounds above them
10 months – recognize their name and listen acutely when spoken to
12 months – can easily locate a sound in any direction and turn toward it
- Emotional development
1 month – can differentiate between faces and other objects by studying a face or the picture of a face longer than other things, quiet best and eat best for the person who has been their their primary caregiver
2 months – social smile
3 months – increased social awareness by readily smiling at the sigh of a parent’s face, laughs out loud at the sight of a funny face
4 months – likely cries when the person who entertains the infant leaves, prefers the presence of the primary caregiver than others
5 months – show displeasure when an object is taken away
6 months – increasingly aware of the difference between people who regularly care for them and strangers, draws back from unfamiliar people
7 months – shows obvious fear of strangers, attempts to cling on parents when taken from them and reaches out to be taken back
8 months – peak of stranger anxiety
9 months – aware of the changes in the voice tone, cries when scolded not because of understanding what is being said but due to sensing a displeasure in their parents
12 months – overcome fear of strangers, alert and responsive when approached, plays interactive nursery games, dances with others, likes being at the table for meals and joining family activities
- Cognitive Development
1 month – simple reflex activity
3 months – enters the cognitive stage of primary circular reaction, explores objects by grasping them with the hands or mouthing them, unaware of what actions they can cause
6 months – enters the cognitive stage of secondary circular reaction, can grasp the idea that their action can initiate pleasurable sensations
10 months – coordination of secondary schema stage, object permanence
1 year – capable of reproducing interesting events and produce new ones
- Developmental Task
Erikson proposed that the developmental task of the infant is to form a sense trust. Infants learn to trust when their needs are being met. The confidence that their needs are met primarily results to trust development. Hence, rhythm of the care should be familiarized by infants as it gives them the feeling of being able to predict what will happen and gives life some consistency. Aside from that, the one caring for the infant plays an important role. Active interaction with the child promotes trust. Inability to develop the developmental task during the infancy period would result to mistrust which will be brought up until the child meets the sense of trust.
Know more about Infant Development
Daisy Jane Antipuesto RN MN
Currently a Nursing Local Board Examination Reviewer. Subjects handled are Pediatric, Obstetric and Psychiatric Nursing. Previous work experiences include: Clinical instructor/lecturer, clinical coordinator (Level II), caregiver instructor/lecturer, NC2 examination reviewer and staff/clinic nurse. Areas of specialization: Emergency room, Orthopedic Ward and Delivery Room. Also an IELTS passer.
