Physical Development Growth is rapid Requires large amounts of food and sleep

Physical Development Brain is fastest growing organ Neural connections form rapidly Myelination causes increase in brain mass Continues through life but slows down Synaptic pruning removes unused networks

Physical Development Brain develops in sequence with other capacities as they emerge Highly plastic Growth spurts occur intermittently from infancy to adolescence (and more recently believed beyond) Heredity and Environmental stimulation contribute to growth 75% of adult weight by age 2 Full adult weight by early adulthood

Physical Development Lateralization specialization of function within hemispheres lessens with age Hemispheric preference initially indicated by handedness

Physical Growth With age, growth slows and is more consistent. Children add about 2 to 3 inches in height and about 5 to 7lbs. of weight a year until puberty. Growth is the basically the same for both sexes. By age 9 this trend can change as girls enter the adolescent growth spurt

Motor Development

Gross Motor Development: control of actions which help a child get around in its environment. Fine Motor Development: ability to do things with smaller movements such as reaching or grasping.

Motor Development Dynamic Systems Theory Mastery of motor skills involves: Differentiation Integration Joint product of: Central Nervous System Development Movement capabilities of body Goals of the child Environmental supports

Motor Development 4 main areas of growth over time: Flexibility Balance Agility Force

Contemporary Issues: Childhood Obesity U.S.: 2 nd highest rate in world Causes: Changes in food type More sedentary lifestyles Increased physical, emotional, and social problems Life long habits formed % of U.S. adults are considered obese (Okinawa) (McDonald’s)

Adolescent Physical Development Adolescence: transitional period Puberty: the physical changes allowing sexual reproduction

Sexual Development Primary sex characteristics Secondary sex characteristics Menarche Semenarche

Responses to Development Girls are more critical of their appearance and more likely to be dissatisfied. Boys are more likely to be pleased

Responses to Development Rate of Maturation Early maturing males: Rate higher on measures of adjustment and physical attractiveness Exhibit more self confidence Exhibit more success in social situations

Responses to Development Rate of Maturation Early maturing females: Often less socially accepted Often more stress with family Report more symptoms of depression and anxiety

Responses to Development Anorexia & Bulimia Anorexia is a disorder marked by a persistent refusal to eat and an irrational fear of being overweight. Have distorted body image. As many as 15% of adolescents with anorexia die. Bulimia consists of binge eating and purging by vomiting or with laxatives. Both often begins during the middle school years. 3 of 4 college women have disordered eating

Young Adulthood (20s) Physical Prime !!

Young Adulthood (30s) Maximum bone density occurs Muscles begin to lose elasticity and tone Muscle strength begins decline Hearing and eyesight begin to decline Basal Metabolism Rate begins to decline with increase weight gain Immune Response declines due to stress

Middle Age (40s & 50s) Height begins to shrink about ½ inch per decade Muscle strength decreases noticeably (back and legs) Loss of bone mass begins then accelerates Take longer to heal Osteoporosis concern for women

Middle Age (40s & 50s) Arthritis often begins causing joint pain and loss of movement. Appearance changes may include: Graying hair Hair loss Facial Wrinkles Sagging bodies

Middle Age Changes in vision and hearing Presbyopia: lessened ability to focus on near objects Myopia: nearsightedness Presbycusis: gradual loss of hearing high pitched sounds Males tend to experience hearing loss greater and sooner than females Changes in sensitivity to taste, touch, and smell

Middle Age Climacteric (Loss of ability to bear children) Menopause The disruption and eventual end of menstruation Andropause Midlife Crisis No scientific evidence validating this Points more to a Midlife Review

Middle Age Cardiovascular Disease Cholesterol increases Blood pressure increases Equal problem in men and women

Late Adulthood Brain neurons decrease (5 to 30% from young adulthood) Vision declines Night vision Smaller visual field Reaction time slows

Late Adulthood Hearing declines Lung capacity and elasticity declines Decreased muscle tone and strength

Late Adulthood Chronic disorders become more common Arthritis- Cardiovascular disease Osteoporosis- Diabetes Heart conditions- Asthma Sinus problems- Cancer Parkinson’s Disease Nearly ¾ of all older adults die from heart disease, cancer, or cerebrovascular disease (strokes).

Aging Once body structures reach maximum capacity and efficiency in the teens and twenties, senescence or biological aging begins. Primary aging: basic, underlying aging process Secondary aging: product of environmental influences, health habits, or disease, and is neither inevitable nor experienced by all adults.

Physical Development and Health Less active lifestyles rather than biological aging account for most of the age-related decline in athletic skill and motor performance