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    Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology: Lifespan Development

Study Center > Student Study Guides > Pathophysiology: Lifespan Development

Anatomy and Physiology Review

Unique anatomy and physiology of infants, toddlers, preschool, school age, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood and late adulthood

  • Unique Infant A&P
    • Size and proportion
    • Airway and breathing differences
    • Primal reflexes of an infant
      • Sucking, Moro reflex, rooting reflex, palmar reflex
    • Skeletal differences
  • Unique toddler and preschooler A&P
    • Moving from infant A&P toward adult A&P
    • Airway and breathing differences
    • Skeletal differences
  • Unique A&P of adolescence and early adulthood
    • Adolescent growth spurts
    • Pinnacle of physical condition
  • Unique A&P of middle and late adulthood
    • Decreasing physical condition
    • Physiological milestones (menopause)
    • System deterioration with aging

Psychosocial Development Review

  • Infant
    • Time of great change
    • Caregiver bonding and separation/stranger anxiety
    • Reacts to environment
    • Communication challenges
  • Toddler/preschooler
    • Limited logic (cause and effect)
    • Strong separation/stranger anxiety
    • Rapidly increasing language capability
  • School age and adolescents
    • Logic and language
    • Self-esteem issues
    • Shift toward peers
  • Middle and early adulthood
    • Focus moves beyond self
    • Facing life and family challenges
  • Late adulthood
    • Wide range of cognitive capabilities
    • End-of-life issues

Vital Signs and Lifespan

  • Infants, toddlers, preschool: Faster heart and respiratory rates, lower blood pressure
  • School age, adolescent, and early to late adulthood: Define normal vital sign values
  • Late adulthood: Consider system changes, chronic diseases and effects of medications
  • Recognize key thresholds (HR of 60 is nonperfusing in a child or infant)

Lifespan Assessment Challenges

  • Understand baselines and expectations
    • Use caregivers to help establish baselines
    • Adjust baseline expectation to physiologic norms and psychosocial development
  • Consider psychosocial development
    • Anticipate communication challenges
    • Anticipate separation/stranger anxiety
    • Consider the effect of peers and self-esteem
    • Consider larger life challenges
  • Use references to guide normal values (especially vital signs)
  • Consider the effects of aging
    • Consider (but do not assume) communication challenges
    • Recognize the physiological effects of aging
    • Recognize the impact of chronic illness
    • Consider the effects of medications

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