Prenatal%20Development

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• Prenatal Development
• Growing fetus
• Reflexes
• Senses
• By Drina Madden

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Prenatal Development

• The beginning of life

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Prenatal Development

• The period of the embryo

28 days 36 days
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Prenatal Development

• The period of the embryo
• 48 days 54 days

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Prenatal Development

• The period of the fetus

Eleventh Week
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Prenatal Development

• Fetus - 24 weeks

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• Fetus 8 months

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Prenatal Development
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Reflexes

• First responses
• 5 weeks after conception
• Upper lip touch withdrawal response
• Few days later
• Sensitivity has spread to palms and soles of feet
• Before 9 weeks
• Sensitivity has spread to whole body

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Reflexes

• 9 weeks in utero
• Withdrawal reactions lessen
• Primitive reflexes appear
• Neural development determines timing
• Appearance
• Inhibition

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Reflexes

• Primitive Reflexes
• Insure protection outside the womb
• Automatic, stereotyped movements directed from
  the brain stem
• No cortex involvement

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Reflexes

• Primitive Reflexes
• Essential for survival in first 2 weeks of life
• Lay foundation for all later functioning
• If remain after 6 12 months brain development
  weaknesses or immaturity

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Reflexes

• Primitive Reflexes brain stem dominated

Rooting Reflex searching
sucking and swallowing
Moro or Startle Reflex response to outside
stimuli
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Reflexes

• Primitive Reflexes

Asymmetrical Tonic muscle tone,
vestibular awareness
Palmar grasp reflex
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Reflexes

• Postural Reflexes
• Form the framework for effective operation of
  other systems
• Posture
• Movement
• Stability

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Reflexes

• Postural Reflexes - rolling

Neck Righting Reaction
Labyrinth Righting Reaction
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Brain Development

• Connections grow through nature and nurture

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Brain Development

• Heredity and experiences increase connections

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Brain Development

• Electrical activity increases with brain growth
  gained through experience

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Brain Development

• As the body grows the brain grows

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Brain Development

• The lower brain attention and mood

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The Senses

• Touch begins in utero

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The Senses

• Vestibular balance and awareness in space

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The Senses

• Hearing begins in utero and strongly connects to
  neonatal life

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The Senses

• Taste begins to connect at birth

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The Senses

• Vision is the last sense to complete its journey
• In time, sharing occurs

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The Senses

• Vision connects with language and perception

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The Senses

• Language needs receiving and sending

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After Birth

• Attention and mood govern development
• Each of the brain lobes grows separately.
• Connections begin to reach to other lobes
• The childs brain grows in awareness and
  flexibility