Pregnant women who smoke increase the likelihood of miscarriage, premature birth, abnormal fetal heartbeat, and underweight babies. The negative effects of smoking during pregnancy can last long after the child's birth, showing up in increased rates of infant sickness, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and, in later childhood, hyperactivity and difficulties in school. FAS infants are smaller than normal, have smaller brains, are more uncoordinated, and have some degree of mental retardation. The newborn's reflexes include rooting, sucking, grasping, and responses to light and sound. Infancy and Childhood Maturation is the orderly sequence of genetically designed biological growth process.
Maturation sets the basic course of development and experience adjusts it.
From birth on, babies remember Mom s voice as well as music and stories first encountered in the womb. New sensations faces of family and caretakers, Mommy s scent, and favorite lullabies get added to the memory file each day. Research shows that babies are born with trillions of neurons with an almost infinite potential for learning. If these neurons are used, they connect with other neurons and, if used repeatedly, make permanent connections. If not used, they do not develop.