Deck 4: Physical, Sensory, and Perceptual Development in Infancy

Question 1

Because infants' brains have a high degree of plasticity, they are not as vulnerable to environmental influences.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The cortex is the least developed part of the brain at birth.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Synaptic pruning is a period in which unnecessary pathways and connections are eliminated.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A newborn is able to focus on objects if they are positioned within 25-80 centimetres of the baby's eyes.

Question 5

There can be good reasons to warrant a doctor's recommendation for a patient to not breast-feed her child.

Question 6

Health care experts recommend that mothers exclusively breast-feed their babies for six or more months in the first year of life.

Question 7

The persistence of the Moro and Babinski reflexes past approximately six months of age may indicate the existence of some type of neurological problem.

Question 8

The brain processes of pruning and myelinization continue until adolescence.

Question 9

It is important to teach infants how to sleep through the night as soon as possible.

Question 10

By age 2 to 2 1/2 children are half as tall as they will be as adults.

Question 11

The Babinski reflex is a good example of an adaptive reflex.

Question 12

There has been no research that indicates female infants develop manipulative skills before male infants.

Question 13

New immigrant mothers bottle-feed more due to their perception that bottle-feeding is preferred in Canada.

Question 14

Infants tend to sleep 70 percent of the time until they are approximately 6-8 weeks old.

Question 15

Visual development is correlated with motor development.

Question 16

Recent research has shown that there is no significant difference in colic rates between babies who are breast-fed, bottle-fed, or fed using a combination of the two.

Question 17

A study done on babies from Iranian orphanages who had been routinely placed on their backs in cribs showed that they learned to walk about a year later than babies in less restrictive settings.

Question 18

Manufactured formula is superior nutritionally to breast milk.

Question 19

In Canada, mass vaccinations have lowered the rate of some infectious diseases.

Question 20

Researchers from Canada have found that supplying vitamin A to young children living in at-risk countries decreases the mortality rates of those children.

Question 21

The process by which unused or unnecessary neural pathways and connections are eliminated is called

A) adaptive pruning.
B) synaptogenesis.
C) synaptic pruning.
D) myelinization.

Question 22

The ability of the brain to reorganize brain structures in response to experience is called

A) myelinization.
B) synaptogenesis.
C) reticularization.
D) neuroplasticity.

Question 23

Normal visual acuity in adults is 20/20; infants are not that far off with 20/40 vision.

Question 24

Studies of Iranian orphans found that babies who were not given a chance to look at things, and explore objects with their hands, eyes, and tongues, were slow to develop perceptual skills.

Question 25

George Beaton, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto and a world-renowned pioneer in the study of human nutrition requirements, advised that

A) mortality rates can be reduced by 23% by supplying young children living in at-risk countries with vitamin A.
B) brain functioning can be improved by 23% by supplying young children living in at-risk countries with vitamin A.
C) the risk of learning problems can be reduced by supplying young children living in at-risk countries with vitamin A.
D) physical growth can be enhanced by supplying young children living in at-risk countries with vitamin A.

Question 26

Smoking by the mother during pregnancy or by anyone in the home after the infant's birth is a risk factor for SIDS.

Question 27

At age 2, Susie is 90 cm tall. We can predict that when she is an adult, Susie will be ________ tall.

A) 180 cm
B) 165 cm
C) 150 cm
D) 200 cm

Question 28

Nativist theorists claim that perceptual abilities are inborn.

Question 29

Infant mortality rates among Inuit infants are two to four times the national average.

Question 30

In the experiment called the "visual cliff" children crawled up to the edge of a cliff while being held back safely by a harness.

Question 31

At birth, the newborn infant can regulate vital functions such as respiration, sleep, and elimination because the ________ is/are sufficiently developed.

A) cortex
B) reflexes controlling these functions
C) midbrain and medulla
D) reticular formation

Question 32

Research indicates that newborns have not developed their sense of smell and taste because they cannot differentiate between the four basic flavours of normal, sweet, sour, and bitter.

Question 33

Babies cannot see colour at birth, they can only see in black and white.

Question 34

At birth, the neonate is blind.

Question 35

What is the process in neuronal development in which a sheath covers individual axons and electrically insulates them from one another to improve the conductivity of the nerve?

A) reticularization
B) myelinization
C) synaptic reconstruction
D) neuroplasticity

Question 36

Although hearing improves up to adolescence, babies are born with better auditory acuity than visual acuity.

Question 37

Sudden infant death syndrome is more likely to occur if the infant is placed in a crib with a crib bumper.

Question 38

Post-term babies have higher rates of fetal and neonatal mortalities.

Question 39

The process of synaptogenesis followed by pruning in response to experience in infancy means all of the following EXCEPT that

A) the first two years are critical times for children to have both stimulation and order in their environments.
B) nutrition is vitally important during infancy.
C) the infant brain is more "plastic," or can be reorganized more effectively, in infancy than in any other time in life.
D) myelinization is not occurring.

Question 40

Newborns are able to discriminate between individual voices.

Question 41

Improved lung efficiency and increased heart muscle strength mean that children have increased

A) reticular activation.
B) intersensory integration.
C) ossification.
D) stamina.

Question 42

Which of the following activities becomes possible as a result of the myelinization of the reticular formation?

A) dexterity in manipulation of small objects, such as a needle and thread
B) judgment in decision-making, such as evaluating various options
C) concentration in thinking, such as focusing attention on a task
D) speed and agility in motor skills, such as running to catch a ball

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a true statement about colic?

A) The colic condition typically begins at about two weeks of age and then disappears spontaneously at three or four months of age.
B) Colic is a pattern of intense, daily periods of crying for three or more hours per day, typically in the late afternoon or early evening.
C) Almost all infants develop colic.
D) The cause of colic is not known.

Question 44

Which of the following is the best example of a child's manipulative skills?

A) Chio navigates around the table by holding onto each chair as she moves.
B) Nigel uses his thumb and forefinger to carefully pick up and eat a small piece of cereal.
C) While her mother shops at the grocery store, two-year-old Allison sits contentedly in the child carrier seat of the grocery cart.
D) Rosita and her father sit on the floor and roll the ball back and forth to each other.

Question 45

Sucking, swallowing, pupil dilation, and grasping are all examples of

A) Babinski reflexes.
B) Moro, or startle, reflexes.
C) adaptive reflexes.
D) primitive reflexes.

Question 46

Which of the following abilities does a neonate have?

A) the ability to select a preferred toy from other toys by touch
B) the ability to focus on an object within an 8- to 10-foot range
C) the ability to visually track a fast-moving object
D) the ability to recognize his or her mother's face and smell

Question 47

Severely restricting a baby's movement slows down the acquisition of _______________.

A) motor skills
B) cognitive abilities.
C) proximodistal patterns.
D) cepholocaudal patterns.

Question 48

An infant's sleep/wake cycle lasts approximately

A) 2 hours.
B) 8 hours.
C) 4 to 6 hours.
D) 30 to 45 minutes.

Question 49

The results of research investigating the impact of practice on the development of motor skills indicates that

A) severely restricting a baby's movement slows down the acquisition of motor skills.
B) practice does not have any effect on the development of motor skills.
C) motor skills and language skills develop at the same pace.
D) short periods of restriction of a baby's movements slows down the acquisition of motor skills.

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about the physical development of premature or low-birth-weight infants?

A) If a correction is made for a premature infant's "gestational age," there are few differences in physical development when the premature infant is compared to full-term infants.
B) Premature and low-birth-weight babies typically achieve developmental milestones, such as rolling over or crawling, more slowly than full-term babies.
C) Premature or low-birth-weight babies often have an insufficiently developed sucking reflex.
D) Breast milk is a nutritionally complete food for premature or low-birth-weight infants.

Question 51

Karran was playing with his daughter. As he was counting her toes, he stroked the bottom of her foot causing her to splay out her toes and then curl them in. This reaction is called the

A) Babinski reflex.
B) Moro, or startle, Reflex.
C) adaptive reflex.
D) primitive reflex.

Question 52

According to a recent University of Western research study about the causes of colic in young infants, which of the following statements is true?

A) Infants who were exclusively breast-fed were most at risk.
B) Infants who were exclusively bottle fed non-human milk, were most at risk.
C) Feeding methods or the use of human/non-human milk were not significant causal factors.
D) Infants who were fed with a combination of breast milk and non-human milk were most at risk.

Question 53

Gina wants to return to work after her infant develops a regular pattern of sleep and wakefulness. You can predict that Gina can plan to return to work when the baby is approximately ________ old.

A) six months
B) six weeks
C) one month
D) one year

Question 54

Sucking, withdrawing from pain, or closing the pupil of the eye in response to bright light are examples of

A) the Babinski and Moro reflexes.
B) primitive responses that disappear by six months of age.
C) adaptive reflexes that enable a neonate to survive reconstruction.
D) mature responses necessary for socialization as a human.

Question 55

Which of the following is the best example of gender differences in child development?

A) Separate bones of the wrist appear earlier in boys than in girls giving them better hand manipulation skills.
B) In humans and primates, male and female infants display similar preferences for rough-and-tumble play during the first two years of life.
C) Boys surpass girls in physical development up until age two.
D) Boys across all cultures are more likely to suffer from developmental delays, are less healthy, and have higher mortality rates than girls.

Question 56

Male infants display a clear preference for _____________ play.

A) rough-and-tumble
B) imitative
C) imaginary
D) manipulative

Question 57

Research conducted by University psychologist Philip Zelazo helps us to understand

A) how primitive reflexes develop.
B) how stimulating primitive reflexes helps later motor development.
C) why primitive infant reflexes disappear.
D) how many different primitive reflexes infants have.

Question 58

The process by which an infant's and child's bones harden is

A) ossification.
B) fontanel formation.
C) fusion.
D) myelinization.

Question 59

A vase falls and smashes on the floor. A baby sleeping in the same room reacts by throwing her hands in the air and arching her back. This is referred to as the

A) Babinski Reflex.
B) Moro, or startle, reflex.
C) adaptive reflex.
D) primitive reflex.

Question 60

Which of the following interventions helps facilitate more rapid growth and development in preterm infants by providing skin-to-skin contact between the parent and child?

A) kangaroo care
B) marsupial care
C) koala care
D) pouch care

Question 61

Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding an infant's ability to perceive colour?

A) A newborn's ability to sense colour is almost identical to that of adults.
B) Infants can likely see red and green from birth.
C) Infants can see and discriminate various colours almost from birth.
D) Infants are basically blind at birth, including colour blind.

Question 62

Which statement about breast-feeding is correct?

A) It is not nutritionally superior to bottle-feeding.
B) It promotes rapid weight and size gain.
C) It cannot transmit viruses.
D) It contributes to diarrhea, gastroenteritis, bronchitis, ear infections, and colic.

Question 63

The disease kwashiorkor is associated with

A) excess dietary vitamin B12.
B) insufficient dietary protein.
C) impaired immune system functioning.
D) insufficient opportunity to practice motor skills.

Question 64

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about female/male differences in physical development in infancy?

A) Girls acquire language somewhat more rapidly than boys do.
B) Girls have a slight advantage in manipulative skills because their wrist bones separate earlier than boys' wrist bones.
C) Boys are more physically resilient and have a lower mortality rate than girls.
D) Boys demonstrate a greater preference for rough-and-tumble play and are more physically aggressive.

Question 65

One precaution that a parent can take to reduce the risk of SIDS is

A) to feed the infant a high-fat diet.
B) to ensure that the infant does not become ill with a respiratory infection.
C) to position the infant to sleep on her back or side.
D) to equip the infant with an electronic breathing monitor.

Question 66

What action did Canada take almost 50 years ago that lowered rates of micronutrient malnutrition in babies and young children?

A) promoted breast feeding education as a national health strategy
B) fortified food and milk with essential minerals and vitamins
C) fortified baby formula with iron and vitamin D
D) promoted public awareness of the need for iron supplements and vitamins

Question 67

Which of the following factors is NOT associated with reducing the risk of SIDS?

A) providing a smoke-free environment during pregnancy and in the home after the infant's birth
B) avoiding laying the baby on soft surfaces or loose bedding
C) bed sharing or napping with the baby on a sofa
D) placing the baby on her back when she sleeps

Question 68

It is important to reduce the rate of post-term deliveries because

A) post-term babies are more likely to be physically unhealthy.
B) the mother becomes very uncomfortable.
C) post-term babies have higher rates of fetal and neonatal mortality.
D) post-term babies are more likely to have developmental delays.

Question 69

Canada is a world leader in food fortification. This means

A) growth hormones have been added to our dairy products.
B) all our food products have been inspected.
C) all our food products are low fat.
D) essential vitamins and/or minerals have been added to some food products.

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about the advantages of breast-feeding?

A) Human breast milk appears to promote the growth of the nerves and intestinal tract.
B) Breast milk provides antibodies to protect infants against diseases such as gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tract infections.
C) Breast-feeding facilitates the development of superior social interactions between mother and child.
D) Breast feeding improves the immune system.

Question 71

Premature infants who experience more skin-to-skin contact with their parents (kangaroo method) have shown more rapid developmental progress and ______.

A) alleviation of sucking/swallowing problems.
B) decreased gastrointestinal problems.
C) decreased susceptibility to infection.
D) alleviation of the pain response.

Question 72

Which of the following does NOT belong with the others?

A) micronutrient malnutrition
B) weight of 60% less than the weight expected for age
C) chronic diarrhea
D) parasitic infections

Question 73

It is recommended that an infant's first solid food be

A) either fruits or vegetables, whichever the baby prefers.
B) something sweet to stimulate the taste for solid food.
C) an iron-fortified single-grain cereal, such as rice.
D) a source of protein, such as ground chicken.

Question 74

Higher rates of infant mortality are associated with

A) living in urban centres.
B) family income level.
C) family health history.
D) family size.

Question 75

Why is it especially important to treat infants' respiratory infections promptly and to take measures to reduce the transmission of respiratory illnesses among infants?

A) Daycare facilities and other alternative care facilities will not provide care while a child is ill.
B) Infant immunizations cannot be given while a child is ill.
C) Ear infections may impair hearing and compromise the development of brain areas that are essential for language learning.
D) Respiratory illnesses are easily spread to other members of the family.

Question 76

Hannah was a preterm infant; she was born two months early. She may be 12 months old but her doctor refers to her as being a 10-month-old. What term would her doctor use to describe this statement?

A) corrected age
B) gestational correction
C) kwashiorkor
D) neonate correction

Question 77

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

A) tends to occur more often when a child sleeps on its back.
B) tends to occur more often if the mother smoked during pregnancy or the infant came into contact with smoke after birth.
C) tends to occur more in females.
D) risks increase with maternal age.

Question 78

Around the world, the leading cause of death of children under the age of five is

A) iron-deficiency anemia.
B) macronutrient malnutrition.
C) kwashiorkor.
D) marasmus.

Question 79

If baby Vincent is an average infant, by his first birthday he will have had

A) weekly episodes of colic.
B) seven respiratory illnesses.
C) several instances of sleep apnea.
D) no illnesses whatsoever.

Question 80

In Canada, the highest rate of SIDS is found

A) in Ontario.
B) in cities.
C) in isolated rural communities.
D) in First Nations communities.