Annual Editions: Human Development 12/13 41th edition

Annual Editions: Human Development 12/13 Description

Annual Editions: Human Development 12/13 41 Edition Annual Editions: Human Development 12/13, Forty-First EditionPrefaceSeriesCorrelation GuideTopic GuideInternet ReferencesUnit 1: Genetic and Prenatal Influences on DevelopmentUnit OverviewPart A. Genetic Influences1. Your DNA, Decoded, Mark Anderson, Delta Skymagazine, August 2010This article explains the six billion genes (half from father, half from mother), made up of base pairs (A, C, G and T), which comprise each unique human's instruction manual. One's health, emotions, and personality are influenced by one's genome prenatally. Environmental factors after birth also affect human functioning.2. Seeking Genetic Fate, Patrick Barry, Science News, July 4, 2009The cost of having small variations in your genes analyzed (over 99% of all human genes are identical), has dropped precipitously. Several genomic technology companies now offer to forecast your personal disease risks. Most health hazards also involve diet, exercise, and environmental factors. The ethics of predicting complex maladies from saliva are questionable.Part B. Prenatal Influences3. The Prematurity Puzzle, Jeneen Interlandi, Newsweek, November 1, 2010Research scientists are focusing on the placenta (an organ) to learn why premature infants are more likely to have autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and other developmental disabilities. Brain development, physical health, and cognitive abilities are stimulated by placental hormones over 40 weeks of pregnancy. The role of genes may be less crucial.4. Thanks, Dad, The Economist, January 8, 2011The fact that a woman's prenatal environment has a profound impact on her children's future has been known for over 70 years. A man's effects on future offspring is finally coming of age. Infants fathered by starving male mice produced offspring with genes associated with obesity (active fat synthesis). A human father's nutrition may also contribute to his children's weight health.Unit 2: Development during Infancy and Early ChildhoodUnit OverviewPart A. Infancy5. Keys to Quality Infant Care: Nurturing Every Baby's Life Journey, Alice Sterling Honig, Young Children, September 2010Dr. Honig, an expert on infant caregiving, shares 11 keys to enhancing baby's brain development, physical status, language skills, emotional regulation, and social abilities. She explains different infant temperaments and advises on how parents and teachers can shape behaviors to accommodate personalities.6. Vaccination Nation, Chris Mooney, Discover, June 2009Parents have been scared by activists claiming (falsely) that vaccines cause infant autism. Science proves otherwise; this article cites multiple studies. The ethics of skeptics are dubious. Withholding vaccines can cause epidemics of largely vanquished diseases. Other environmental factors which trigger genetic diseases must be explored, and motivation to vaccinate must increase.Part B. Early Childhood7. How to Help Your Toddler Begin Developing Empathy, Rebecca Pariakian and Claire Lerner, Zero to Three, July 2009Personality is socialized as well as inherited. Teaching empathy in parenting practices during early childhood helps toddlers understand emotions and develop self-esteem. This article explains how to foster this complex skill.8. Five Skills Kids Need before They Read, Peg Tyre, Instructor, August 2009No Child Left Behind legislation and high stakes testing ended many self-esteem programs in education. Emotional curriculum is now returning. Stressors from culture and families inhibit children's brain development. Reading proficiency rises and discipline problems plummet when kids learn social skills.9. Little by Little, Laura Beil, Science News, September 12, 2009Food allergies are 20% more frequent than 10 years ago. Scientists believe infants and young children raised in antiseptic cultures may have immature immunity. Parents may promote health and nutrition by introducing small portions of allergy-prone foods earlier. Other new strategies for reducing food allergies are d