CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWLY BORN INFANT

 THE BEGINNING OF LIFE

"Maturation is chromosome reduction through cell division in which one chromosome from each pair goes to a subdivided cell which ,in turn, splits lengthwise and forms two new cells" , The mature cell , which contains only 23 chromosomes , is known as a haploid cell."

                                                                                                 -Elizabeth B. Hurlock

Preliminary stage

Before new life can begin , the cell from which the new individual will develop go through three preliminary stages of development . These are maturation , ovulation, and fertilization.

1.Maturation- 

In the words of Elizabeth B. Hurlock, " Maturation is chromosome reduction through cell division in which one chromosome from each pair goes to a subdivided cell which , in turn, spilt lengthwise and froms two new cells". The mature cell, which contains only 23 chromosomes, is known as a haploid cell".

2.Ovuiation-According to Elizabeth B. Hurlock, "Ovulation is the process of escape of one mature ovum during the menstrual cycle".

3.Fertilization- Fertilization or conception normally occurs while the ovum is in the fallopian tube.

STAGES OF PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

The normal prenatal period is 10 lunar months or 9 calendar months in length. However, there is great variation in this length, ranging from 180 days to 334 days. The Prenatal period is generally divided in to three stages or periods, each characterized by its own 

 1. The stage of the Ovum

(1) Preparation-

(2) Implantation-

(3)Significance-

2. The stage of the embroyo

3.The stage of the fetus

(1)Body length and weight

(2)The head

(3) Face

(4)Skin

(5)Hair

(6)Trunk

(7)Arms and legs

(8)Toes and fingers

(9)Internal organs

(10)Heart

(11)Glands

(12)Nervous system

(13)Brain

(14)Sense Organs

(a)Taste (b)Smell(c)Eyes(d)Ears(e)Skin

(15)fetal activity

Define infancy and discuss partunate and nenonate development.

In the words of Elizabeth B.Hurlock ," Infancy ,or the period of the new born, is the shortest of all the developmental periods. It begins at birth and ends when the infant is approximately two weeks old. This is the time when the fetus must adjust to life outside the uterine wall of the mother where he has lived for approximately nine months.

Criteria of Adjustment

(1)Medical criteria

(2)Physiological criteria

(3)psychological criteria

Two periods of Infancy

(1)The period of the partunate

(2)The period of neonate