Infants May Be Suspected of Having Developmental Delays or of Being

question 11

Essay

Infants may be suspected of having developmental delays or of being at risk for developmental delays if there are clinical indications of concern. What has the research defined as areas of concern? Identify and discuss each.

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Definitions:

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication, and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behavior.

Autism

A developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction, communication, and restricted or repetitive behaviors.

Neural Darwinism

Hypothesis that the processes of cell death and synaptic pruning are, like natural selection in species, the outcome of competition among neurons for connections and metabolic resources in a neural environment.

Synaptic Pruning

The process of eliminating weaker synaptic contacts while strengthening others to improve the efficiency of neuronal communication.