For a human, there are many stages of development from birth to death. Each includes aspects of physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.

Birth & Infancy (0-3 years)

Physical development

A new born baby has to take easily digestible food such as the mother’s milk in order to grow. A newborn baby doesn’t have fully developed organs such as the brain, however can hear sounds and tell the difference in things such as the taste in things and can identify smell senses, such as their mother or carer. Infants are born with various reflexes:

  • A new born baby will turn their head towards any touch on the cheek. This reflex is known as the rooting reflex and this can also help for the baby to get their mother’s nipple into its mouth for the baby’s feeding.
  • If you place your finger in the baby’s palm, it will automatically grasp onto your finger, this is known as the grasp reflex.
  • If the baby is startled by something, a loud sound for example, the baby will throw arms and legs outwards, arching the back and straightening their legs. This reflex is called the startle reflex.
  • If a newborn baby is held upright with their feet touching the ground, they will make movements as if trying to walk.

Infants have the ability to recognise and interact with people. Babies prefer the sound of human voices to other sounds. This helps the baby learn the voice of their mother.  Within a few weeks, the baby starts to recognise other well-known faces, such as carers, grandparents, brothers and sister.  Of course, babies are helpless when it comes to their muscle control. For example babies cannot lift their head, roll over or sit up without assistance (depending on how old the baby is).

At 0-1 months old, the baby is able to lift its head slightly. This can help the baby be aware of certain things and help the baby to be able to feed from its mother.

At 6 months the baby has the ability to pass an object from one hand to another. Objects such as toys and bottles. Having this ability can help the baby recognise some of the differences between toys, like the bright colours.

Again, at 6 months babies can roll over. To begin with the baby may need assistance from the parent or carer and to be surrounded by pillows. However the baby will soon be able to roll over by itself.

Between 9-10 months the baby is able to crawl, again like the rolling over, the baby will need assistance and possibly to help the baby to crawl, put an object about two steps away for the baby to crawl to, like food or a toy.

At 12 months, the baby is able to stand-alone. Usually the baby holds onto something to help itself up. For example, the baby is in its cot and it uses the sides to pull itself up and clings onto the cot for support.

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Intellectual development.

During the first 18 months infants have to learn to coordinate their senses and their muscle behaviour. To begin with, a baby will rely on inbuilt patterns for behaviour such as sucking, crawling and watching. A baby will adapt this behaviour to lead onto sucking fingers, toys, clothes and so on. Doing this, this helps the infant to slowly develop an understanding of objects. According to a famous psychologist Jean Piaget, the infant will remember grasping a toy. If given the toy, they may repeat the action.

Also, Piaget thought ...

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