Читать книгу Lifespan Development - Tara L. Kuther - Страница 241

Lena is 7 months old and lags behind in height and weight compared with other infants her age. Early in life, she showed normative growth, but her growth has since slowed. Recently, Lena’s parents separated, and she and her mother moved to a new home. Her mother is 19 years old, does not have a high school degree, and had few job opportunities. She took the first job that panned out, despite its long hours. Lena was placed in child care. Her mother continued to breastfeed, despite its increasing difficulty given her new work schedule. Lena’s mother insisted that Lena eat less solid food and baby food given her continued breastfeeding. Staff at the child care center approached Lena’s mother to express their concern over Lena’s lack of growth and development; she has not begun crawling like other infants and tends to avoid eye contact with others.

1 What are normative patterns of growth for infants? Motor skills? How does Lena’s development compare with these norms?

2 .What are potential causes of or influences on the developmental difficulties Lena experiences? How might contextual factors influence Lena’s development?

3 What are the child care staff’s responsibilities?

4 What should the mother do? What treatment do you suggest?