Lesson 5: Older Infants - 8 to 18 months
Attention
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to
- Demonstrate knowledge of the developmental milestones of older infants.
- Demonstrate knowledge of interactions with older infants.
- Demonstrate knowledge of feeding practices for older infants.
- Explain how sleep needs are different for older infants and provide examples of sleep routines.
- Explain how stranger anxiety and how it relates to attachment and strategies to assist. .
Teaching
Developmental Milestones
When an infant reaches the mobility stage around 8 or 9 months, it is often considered an older infant or young toddler. The needs at this state are much different than a young infant due to the increased mobility, increased understanding of social/emotional skills, increased communication abilities, increased cognitive understanding and increased self-help skills. To get a more specific breakdown according to months read, 9-12 Months: Your Baby's Development at the bottom you can find 12-15 months and 15-18 months as well. Be sure to click on the PDF download for even more information! For more information on each domain, check out the Maine Infant and Toddler Guidelines pages 19-32.
Interactions
Within the Maine Infant and Toddler Guidelines you should have noticed sections in which you can support development in that area. Interactions with children 8-18 months look quite different than when they were young infants. Children at this age require a different level of interactions and understanding of their needs. At this stage they are exploratory and our work is to engage, encourage and validate curiosity. Read pages 60-65 in you Developmentally Appropriate Practice text and pay particular attention to the infant care alliance to learn more.
Feeding
Still, at 8 months, the older infant should be drinking breastmilk or formula. However, by this time they are eating many more solids and some parents choose to introduce juice. Caregivers should also be encouraging self-feeding skills and the use of an open cup. Just a splash of breastmilk or formula in a small plastic cup will help an older infant learn the skill needed to drink from a regular cup. The USDA Feeding Infants Guide still provides guidance for introducing foods at this stage and how to appropriately cut up food to meet their feeding needs. Again, if there is ever a doubt, consulting this resource is your best option.
Sleeping
By the time a child reaches 8 months, they may be rolling over and pulling themselves to stand in the crib. At this point, you should still lay them down on their back (if they are sleeping when you put them down) and it is okay if they move a lot in their sleep. It is still recommended that children do not sleep with extra items in the crib; Maine Child Care Licensing Rules prohibits the use of pillows in cribs within the center-based environment. Families may have different preferences for items placed in the crib; it is important to continue discussing safe sleep environments and the rules that guide early care programs. The risk of SIDS has decreased by this stage but experts are still cautious until the child turns one.
For infants (4-11 months) 12-15 hours of sleep are recommended within 24 hours. For 12-18 months old the recommended hours fall to 11-14 hours. Right around 18 months, naps decrease down to one a day and the majority of sleep is at night time. Keep in mind that every child is different and some children may start one nap earlier while some children may continue with multiple naps a little while longer. Sleep is crucial to healthy brain development. It effects cognitive growth, moods and physical growth. For more information read the sections about newborn and infant sleep on the Sleep Foundation website.
Assessment
Lesson 5 Quiz
1. Older Infants seek:
a. Exploration
b. Security
c. Identity
d. All of the above
2. To assist with language development caregivers should:
a. Talk fast and talk often
b. Slow down their speech and enunciate words clearly
c. Never repeat things or narrate what the child is doing
d. Use baby talk
3. Mobile infants are often curious about other children and may grab hair or clothes. When this happens, the caregiver should:
a. Put them in a timeout and tell them no
b. Narrate what the child wants and model appropriate interactions
c. Move the children away from each other
d. Let them figure it out
4. Caregivers can support strong and healthy bodies best by:
a. Putting a healthy meal in front of them and letting them explore while you do the dishes
b. Letting them chose what to eat, when to eat it and where to eat it
c. Limiting food exposure
d. Sitting and eating with the child, talking about the foods present, and creating a relaxed and pleasant experience
5. True or False – caregivers should only model “happy” emotionsDuring the first few months of life infants can:
a. True
b. False
6. Play for older infants is about:
a. Providing a variety of age appropriate tools and toys to discover
b. Letting the children explore materials in unconventional ways
c. Providing new experiences as they grow and change and develop new interests
d. All of the above
7. Now that the infant is mobile changes to the environment should include:
a. Assuring regularly that cabinets are locked
b. Covering electrical outlets
c. Keeping small objects, sharp objects, medications, chemicals and other hazardous materials out of reach
d. All of the above and more!
8. True or False – As soon as the child turns one they can immediately eat everything at once!
a. True
b. False
9. Write a short summary on the importance sleep schedules, routines, environments and amounts and how it is different than young infants. Be specific with examples.
10. Write a short summary on stranger anxiety, how this relates to attachment and strategies to assist.