Unit 2: Continuity of the human species

2.4 Infancy and Childhood

a) Dependency of offspring, for food, hygiene and protection.
b) The structure of the breast and breast feeding, relative merits of breast and bottle feeding.
c) Intellectual and emotional needs, bonding.

d) Milestones of development.
e) Changes in physical proportion.
f) Gross-to-specific, cephalocaudal and proximodistal trends in motor development.
g) The role of parents in the social and language development of the child.
h) Parental roles, the one-parent family, working mothers, child care centres.
i) Laws relating to children in Australia, the Family Court.
j) Cultural family patterns, nuclear and extended families, the role of grandparents.
k) Cultural patterns of feeding babies.
l) Piagetian ages and stages of intellectual development.

Unit 2: Continuity of the human species

General objectives

On completion of Unit 2, you should be able to:

• explain that cells carry out the life-sustaining processes of cellular respiration, synthesis and growth
• explain how the structures of tissues, cells and cellular organelles are related to the functions that they perform
• describe the role of DNA, enzymes and ATP in cellular metabolism
• discuss the nature, types and causes of cancer, preventative measures and treatments
• relate the structure of reproductive cells and organ systems to the functions they perform
• explain how decisions relating to sexual behaviour, the control of pregnancy and treatment of infertility involve consideration of relevant physiological, social and moral factors
• discuss the structural, physiological, behavioural and intellectual changes that occur during human development and senescence
• explain how genetic and environmental factors influence all aspects of human development and senescence
• describe the causative organisms, effects of and treatments for, sexually transmitted diseases and the social factors influencing their spread
• demonstrate competence in preparing wet mount slides, staining slides by irrigation, and using a monocular microscope to observe slides using both low and high power objective lenses
• demonstrate an interest in the scientific study of human problems and be willing to use scientific approaches to dealing with these problems
• display empathy towards individuals with physical, social and intellectual disabilities.

Unit 2 is broken up into the following units. The content covered in each of these topics is listed below. The points in normal type can be expected to be covered in tests. The points typed in italics at the end of each topic are not always covered and if they are, they are assessed in work other than tests.

2.1 Cell Structure and Metabolism
2.2 Reproduction
2.3 Pregnancy
2.4 Infancy and Childhood
2.5 Adolescence, Adulthood and Senescence