WELLNESS/PREVENTION 6 th Grade Health Mr. Christiansen

Wellness Wellness is the achievement of a high level of overall health. If you actually work at it, this high level of health could last for years. One of the keys to wellness is the prevention of illness.

Prevention Prevention is keeping something from happening. You can prevent illness and injury by: Don’t take unnecessary chances or risks Avoid thinking nothing can happen to you Know weaknesses in physical, mental, and social health Keep informed about health related issues Be responsible. Don’t leave health to chance.

Health Habits Start learning healthful habits It is easier to start learning a good habit rather than having to change a bad habit later. Risk Behaviors- harmful behaviors that will increase your chance of illness, injury, or premature death. Helpful behaviors- positive actions that will decrease your chance of illness, injury, or premature death.

“Grant me the courage to change those things I should change, the patience to accept those things I cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference.” We can control some things in our lives but not others. There are several changes in early adolescence that you can control somewhat and there are some changes that you need to have the patience to accept.

Adolescence Adolescence- the period of rapid development between childhood and adulthood. Early adolescence includes children between the ages of 10 to 14. During early adolescence, children can expect changes in their physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development. On a separate piece of paper list examples of changes that someone will experience during adolescence.

Physical Development During early adolescence, the biggest changes you will experience are changes in your body. The only other time your body experiences changes as quickly is when you’re an infant. Males generally start to develop two years later than girls but catch up very quickly between the ages of In adolescence the basic shape of our bodies change as they grow and develop. Girls become more curvy, narrower at the waist, and broader at the hips and shoulders. Boys become broader at the shoulders and more muscular. Their voices also deepen around the ages of and grow facial hair. Both girls and boys grow body hair and develop sweat glands. Chemicals called hormones control many of these changes.

Physical Development Hormones are chemicals in the body that control certain changes, such as physical development during adolescence. Adolescents whose bodies have matured and developed still often think and feel like children. The growth spurt has nothing to do with how mature a person acts or feels. Besides getting taller, both girls and boys are likely to gain weight, which is perfectly normal. Bones tend to grow faster than muscles, some teenagers look lean and lanky. Good nutrition is important during adolescence. Those who don’t eat a nutritious, balanced diet may not reach their full potential height, strength, or size. Some changes during adolescence are permanent, while others are temporary. Acne and getting used to your “new body” can be awkward, but these problems are temporary. Its important to accept your physical development however long it takes, make the most of who and what you are.

Intellectual Development During adolescence, you may experience rapid growth in your intellectual development, the way your brain works. Important changes happen in your brain and in the way you think. Some scientists believe the brain actually grows larger at this time. You develop the ability to remember much more than you could when you were a young child. Concrete thinking is thinking that is limited to what can be perceived. Abstract thinking is thinking that involves ideas or concepts. Teenagers begin to do more abstract thinking, they can understand more about the world around them. Become better problem solvers.

Social Development Social development refers to changes that will move you toward new relationships with friends, more independence, and more responsibility. With each change, you’ll become more mature and less like a child. Most adolescents want to be liked and accepted by people their age. This need can work for or against you. Positively, it can encourage you to do your best so people will like you. Negatively, it may cause you to do things that are wrong or that you really don’t want to do just so you will fit in with the crowd or so people will like you.

Emotional Development Because of all the changes adolescence brings, you may sometimes feel worried or uncertain about the future. You may have the feeling that no one understands you or what your going through. You may be moody and angry one minute then happy and excited shortly after. These emotions can be related to the physical changes in your body. The hormones that cause physical changes also affect your emotions.

Stages of Development Infancy- birth to 18 months Early Childhood- 2 to 3 years old Pre-School- 3 to 5 years old Elementary- 6 to 11 years old Adolescence- 12 to 18 years old Early Adulthood- 19 to 40 years old Middle Adulthood- 40 to 65 years old Maturity- 65 to death

Wellness and Adolescence Key Terms Hormones- chemicals in your body that control changes. Adolescence- period of development between childhood and adulthood. Emotional development- mood swings Intellectual development- changing the way you think. Social development- making new friends. Physical development- growing taller and body shape changing.