The goal of this part of the learning module is to introduce students to the principles of typical infant and child development. These principles form the foundation of assessments and intervention in paediatrics; as such, this knowledge will be reinforced throughout the course as we compare and contrast development across different paediatric populations.

At the end of this learning module, students will be able to:

• Discuss the continuous and dynamic nature of development, and describe clinical examples in which development is 'shaped' by external conditions
• Discuss the functional role of primary reflexes in supporting the transition from pre- to post-natal life
• Apply knowledge of the typical developmental trajectory to identify the motor delays in an infant with Down syndrome and to determine intervention goals.

• The typical trajectory of infant and child development provides a reference against which to compare and contrast the motor performance of an individual child, to determine the need for intervention and to identify the appropriate developmental goals for an intervention. Different babies and children progress through this development in different ways, yielding a fairly large band of variability around what we consider to be a typical trajectory. A significant amount of experience observing and assessing a large number of babies and young children is the only way to develop an appreciation of 'what is normal development'.