Physical Development in Children

1. Physical Development in Children

2. Physical Development:- • Growth • Motor Skills • Puberty  maturity

3. Growth • Changes in • size, • body weight • height • head & arm circumference • Body muscles • teeth • bones • Etc.

4. Changes in Body Size • Body grows more rapidly • Growth occurs in small spurts • Length • 50% greater at age 1 • 75% greater at age 2 • Weight • Doubled by 5 months • Tripled by 1 year • Quadrupled at 2 years

5. Changes in Body Proportions

6. Body weight • Changes in body weight is more dramatic • New born  2.7 – 3.6 kg. • 5 mths  body weight 2 x weight at birth) • 1 year old  3 x • 2 year old  4 x • 2-3 yr. old  rapid change in weight (spurt) • After 3 yr. old  slower rate • The first 6 mths  changes focused > on muscle growth. • 6-12 mths  dev. focused > on movement • 2 yrs – pre puberty  body weight increase 2.5 kg per year • Girls slightly shorter and lighter • Ethnic differences

7. Growth Trends • Cephalocaudal trend • proceeds from head to tail • head and chest develop/grow first before trunk and legs. • Proximodistal trend • Center of the body outward • arms and legs before hands and feet.

8. Body Fat/Appearance • Subcutaneous fat  begin to form in the fetus about 6 weeks before birth. • First 9 mths  Sub. Fat continue to accumulate rapidly  making baby look rounded & filled up. • Gain “baby fat” until about 9 months After 9 mth, fat accumulation slows down. • 1 yr old – middle childhood  less fat accumulation Toddlers become more slender (slimmer) • Muscle tone increase • Helps maintain constant temp. • Muscle tissue increases slowly  Peaks in adolescence • Girls= more fat than boys

9. Body fat and muscle  contributes to the development and body structure: • Ectomorph  small/tall, slim, skinny • Endomorph  flabby, obese • Mesomorph  tough, musculine

10. Height • Child of same age may differ in height. • Baby  length increase 30% until 5 mths old • By age 1 yr  length increase to 50% • 5 years old  height doubles/triples • 2yrs old - puberty  height increase 2-3 in. per year. • Adolescent  sudden changes in height & weight (growth spurt)

11. Head circumference • Baby • Brain mass of a newborn  about 2/3 of adult size • Head circ. of a new born  30-38 cm • 6 mths old baby  42.5 cm • Head circ/size increase  parallel to brain development. • Newborn head bigger than body size  due to rapid brain development during pre natal period. • 5 yrs. Old brain weigh about 90% of adult brain. • 6 yrs. old brain  equivalent to adult weight.

12. What is brain? • Body most vital organ. • Each person is born with over 100 billions brain cells (neurons). • Brains can send signals to thousands of other cells in the body at speed of more than 200 miles per hr. • Brain growth before &after birth is fundamental to future development. • Sensitive Periods in Brain Development • Several growth spurts in first 2 years • Rich and varied experiences stimulate brain development • Experience-expectant growth • Ordinary experiences “expected” by brain to grow normally • Experience-dependent growth • Specific experience, varies widely

13. 1 organ with 3 mini brains: • Brainstem (inner core) • Breathing, heartbeat muscle movement, reflex behavior • Limbic system • Covers the brainstem • Motivation, emotions, & long term memory • Cerebellum – control automatic movements & balance • Cerebral cortex • Higher mental process. • Learning, memory, Thinking, Language • Last to develop Structure of the Brain

14. Regions of the Cerebral Cortex

15. Skeletal Growth • Embryonic skeleton • Soft, pliable tissue (cartilage) • Beginning at week 6 • At birth babies have soft bones  cartilage. • Changes is bones structure: • Lengthen • Harden • Increase

16. Lengthened • Bones become longer, bigger & thicker • Bones will stop growing when it harden (reach maturity)

17. Hardened • At birth/baby  soft bones (cartilage)  water content is high. • During the process of ossification, bones harden  calcium deposited. • Eg. As baby skulls harden & fuse  Fontanel gradually close (about 2 years old). • Ossification occurs before birth and ends when a person reach maturity. • Nutritious food  calcium, phosphorous & vitamins helps ossification

18. Increase • Number of bones increases  parallel to its function • Eg. Number of bones in the wrist & ankle increases with age • 1 yr. 3 wrist bones; • adult  9 wrist bones

19. Growth of the Skull(Rapid during first 2 years) • At birth • Bone of the skull separate • These gaps are called fontanels • Sutures = seams of the skull • By 2 years  Gaps filled in

20. Motor Skills • Motor skills are • Voluntary movements of the body or parts of the body. • Controlled development of body movement through the coordination of central nervous system , sensory system and body muscles. • A child motor skill contributes to child further development  able to control movement  assist adaptation in the environment.

21. Motor Development • Gross motor development • Large movements • Eg. Crawling, Walking, Running, Jumping • Head proceeds arms and trunk • Improves dramatically during preschool years • Fine motor development  The ability to carry out smoothly small movements that involve precise timing but not strength. • Smaller movements • e.g. Reaching and grasping • Sequence the same • Large differences in rate of motor progress • Eg. Reaching, grasping, pinching, writing, drawing • Involves the coordination between hand control and vision (Eye-Hand coordination)

22. Voluntary Reaching • Vital role to cognitive development • New ways for exploring environment

23. Fine motor skill development Steps in fine motor skill development:- • Prereaching (newborn) - Palmer grasp (reflex grasp) • Ulnar Grasp (3-4 months) • Changing/passing object from one hand to the other (5-8 mths) • Pincer grasp (9- above)

24. Reaching and Grasping • Pre-reaching (0-2 months) (Palmer grasp) • Ulnar grasp (3-4 months) • Pincer grasp (9 months)

25. Reaching and Grasping • Prereaching (0-2 months) • Uncoordinated, primitive reaching • Palmer grasp (reflex grasp) • Hand grasping & movement without coordination. • Often fail to grasp object successfully  may make contact with object but fail to enclose it in their fingers • The grasp reflex should disappear in 2 -3 months

26. Ulnar grasp (3-4 mth) Clumsy grasp Fingers close against the palm Reaching and Grasping

27. Pincer grasp (9 mth) Well-coordinated grasp Oppositional use of the forefinger and thumb Reaching and Grasping

28. Early Experience and Reaching • Trying to push infants beyond their current readiness to handle stimulation can undermine the development of important motor skills. • As infants’ and toddlers’ motor skills develop, their caregivers must devote more energies to protecting them from harm.

30. Influences on Early Growth • Heredity • Nutrition • Breast v. Bottle Feeding • Malnutrition • Emotional Well-Being • Problems can cause Failure to Thrive

31. Benefits of Breastfeeding • Correct fat-protein balance • Nutritionally complete • More digestible • Better growth • Disease protection • Better jaw and tooth development • Easier transition to solid food

32. Malnutrition

33. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT By 3 MTHS OLD: • lift head when held at your shoulder • lift head and chest when lying on his stomach • turn head from side to side when lying on his stomach • follow a moving object or person with his eyes • often hold hands open or loosely fisted • grasp rattle when given to her • wiggle and kick with arms and legs

34. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 6 Mths Old: • hold head steady when sitting with your help • reach for and grasp objects • play with his toes • help hold the bottle during feeding • explore by mouthing and banging objects • move toys from one hand to another • shake a rattle • pull up to a sitting position on her own if you grasp her hands • sit with only a little support • sit in a high chair • roll over • bounce when held in a standing position

35. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT By 12 mths old • drink from a cup with help • feed herself finger food like raisins or bread crumbs • grasp small objects by using her thumb and index or forefinger • use his first finger to poke or point • put small blocks in and take them out of a container • knock two blocks together • sit well without support • crawl on hands and knees • pull himself to stand or take steps holding onto furniture • stand alone momentarily • walk with one hand held • cooperate with dressing by offering a foot or an arm

36. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 18 months: • like to pull, push, and dump things • pull off hat, socks, and mittens • turn pages in a book • stack 2 blocks • carry a stuffed animal or doll • scribble with crayons • walk without help • run stiffly, with eyes on the ground

37. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 2 years old: • drink from a straw • feed himself with a spoon • help in washing hands • put arms in sleeves with help build a tower of 3-4 blocks • toss or roll a large ball • open cabinets, drawers, boxes • operate a mechanical toy • bend over to pick up a toy and not fall • walk up steps with help • take steps backward

38. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 3 years of age: - feed himself (with some spilling)- open doors- hold a glass in one hand- hold a crayon well- wash and dry hands by himself- fold paper, if shown how- build a tower of 54 blocks- throw a ball overhead- try to catch a large ball- put on shoes (but not tie laces)- dress herself with help- use the toilet with some help- walk up steps, alternating feet- walk on tiptoes if shown how- walk in a straight line- kick a ball forward- jump with both feet- pedal a tricycle

39. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 4 years old: - feed herself (with little spilling)- try to use a fork- hold a pencil- try to write name- draw with the arm and not small hand movements- draw a circle & a face- try to cut paper with blunt scissors- sometimes unbutton buttons- try to buckle, button, and lace, even though she probably needs help- completely undress herself if wearing clothes with simple fasteners- brush teeth with help- build a tower of 7-9 blocks- put together a simple puzzle of 4-12 pieces- pour from a small pitcher- use the toilet alone- try to skip- catch a bouncing ball- walk downstairs using a handrail and alternating feet- swing, starting by himself and keeping himself going

40. Motor Skills • 4-5 years old  Child able to control most of his movement (jump, run, walk, climb). • Above 5 yrs. Old  good fine motor development  able to do more complex coordinated movement (throw & catch ball, writing, hold object with care) • The sequence in motor skill development also follows cephalocaudal, proximodistal and mass to specific principle.

41. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • By 5 Years old: • hops and skips • dresses without help • good balance and smoother muscle action • Skates • rides bicycles and scooter • prints simple letters • ties shoes • girls small muscle development about 1 year ahead of boys.

42. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT By 6-8 Years old: • skilled at using scissors and small tools • shows development of permanent teeth • enjoys testing muscle strength and skills • has good sense of balance • can tie shoelaces • enjoys copying designs and shapes, letters and numbers • may have gawky awkward appearance from long arms and legs • throwing at targets, • running, • jumping rope, • tumbling • aerobics may be of interest

43. MOTOR-PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT By 12 Years old • (Boys  80% adult height; Girls  90% of adult height) • Growth is slower than in preschool years, but steady. • Eating may fluctuate with activity level. • Some children have growth spurts in the later stages of middle childhood. • Transition towards adolescent • Pre puberty period Body changes (hips widen, breasts bud, pubic hair appears, testes develop) indicate approaching puberty. • Beginning of Puberty  menstruation in girls (menarch) 12-14 years old First ejaculation in boys  12-13 years old (semenarch) • Recognize differences between boys and girls.

44. (con’t) By 12 Years old • Children find difficulty balancing high energy activities and quiet activities. • Intense activity may bring tiredness Children need around 10 hours of sleep each night. • Muscle coordination and control are uneven and incomplete in the early stages, but children become almost as coordinated as adults by the end of middle childhood. • Small muscles develop rapidly, making playing musical instruments, hammering, or building things more enjoyable. • Baby teeth will come out and permanent ones will come in. • Permanent teeth may come in before the mouth has fully grown, causing dental crowding. • Eyes reach maturity in both size and function. • The added strain of school work (smaller print, computers, intense writing) often creates eye-tension and leads some children to request eye examinations.