Physical Development in Early Childhood Children 9 Physical Development in Early Childhood John W. Santrock

Physical Development in Early Childhood How Does a Young Child’s Body Grow and Change? How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? What Are Some Important Aspects of Young Children’s Health?

How Does a Young Child’s Body Grow and Change? Height and Weight Average child grows 2½ inches and gains between 5 and 7 pounds a year during early childhood Growth patterns affected by genetics, growth hormones, environmental factors Boys gain muscle, girls gain fatty tissue Growth Hormone Deficiency

The Brain Brain and head: fastest growth in body Neuronal Changes How Does a Young Child’s Body Grow and Change? The Brain Brain and head: fastest growth in body 75% of adult size by age 3 90% of adult size by age 5 Neuronal Changes Myelination: nerve cells insulated 3–6 age period: dopamine increase

Structural Changes in the Brain How Does a Young Child’s Body Grow and Change? Structural Changes in the Brain Brain undergoes dramatic anatomical changes between ages of 3 and 15 Some areas almost double in size, purge of unneeded cells follows (up to age 4) Frontal lobe growth (3–6 years of age) Temporal and parietal lobes (6–puberty)

The Brain and Cognitive Development How Does a Young Child’s Body Grow and Change? The Brain and Cognitive Development Neural networks: visual input is coded; output is language Prefrontal cortex Dopamine: key to information transmission in prefrontal cortex and neural circuit Important in self-control and other skills Preschool: depth perception is maturing

The Prefrontal Cortex Prefrontal Cortex How Does a Young Child’s Body Grow and Change? The Prefrontal Cortex Prefrontal Cortex

Vision Regular vision screening before age 3 Visual problems How Does a Young Child’s Body Grow and Change? Vision Regular vision screening before age 3 Visual problems Unusual appearance of eyes Treatment before age 6 prevents vision loss Functional amblyopia: imbalance, “lazy eye” Strabismus: misalignment of eyes

Gross and Fine Motor Skills How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Gross and Fine Motor Skills Preschooler: highest activity level of any age in the life span Need daily exercise; good programs with creativity and free movement Exercise increases physical and visual awareness

How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Gross Motor Skills Age 3: Enjoys simple movements such as hopping, jumping, and running Age 4: Becomes more adventurous and climbs Age 5: Runs hard, is adventurous, tries hair-raising stunts in climbing

How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Fine Motor Skills Age 3: Still emerging from infant ability to place and handle things Age 4: Coordination improved and more precise Age 5: Hand, arm, and body move together under better eye command

Listed in approximate order of difficulty in each period Development of Fine Motor Skills in Early Childhood Listed in approximate order of difficulty in each period 37 to 48 mos 49 to 60 mos 61 to 72 mos Approximates a circle in drawing Cuts paper Pastes using pointer finger Builds 3-block bridge Builds 8-block tower Draws 0 and + Dresses and undresses doll Pours from pitcher without spilling Strings and laces shoelace Cuts following a line Strings 10 beads Copies figure X Opens and places clothespins (one- handed) Builds a 5-block bridge Pours from various containers Prints first name Folds paper in halves and quarters Traces around hand Draws rectangle, circle, square, triangle Cuts interior piece from paper Uses crayons appropriately Makes clay object with 2 small parts Reproduces letters Copies 2 short words

Assessing Motor Skills How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Assessing Motor Skills Denver Developmental Screening Test Used to diagnose developmental delay in children from birth to 6 years of age Simple, inexpensive, fast Includes gross and fine motor skills, language, and personal-social ability

Young Children’s Artistic Drawings How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Young Children’s Artistic Drawings Emphasize flatness of drawing, painting Unintended irregularities suggest spontaneity, freedom, and directness Art provides hands-on approach to problem-solving skills; reinforces ideas of scale, space, motion, distance

Stages of Young Children’s Artistic Development How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Stages of Young Children’s Artistic Development Stage Age Progress Placement Stage 2–3 Placement patterns Shape Stage 3 Diagrams of 6 different shapes Design Stage 3–4 Mix 2 basic shapes into more complex design Pictorial Stage 4–5 Objects that adults recognize

Child Art in Context Child art Reflects inventive problem solving How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Child Art in Context Child art Reflects inventive problem solving Developmental changes depend on talent, motivation, familial support, cultural values Flourishes in sociocultural contexts where tools are available, activity is valued

Origin and Development of Handedness How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Origin and Development of Handedness Genetic inheritance Right-handedness dominant in all cultures Hand preference may occur in womb Many preschoolers use both hands; preference develops later

Handedness, the Brain, and Language How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Handedness, the Brain, and Language Approximately 95% of right-handed individuals process speech primarily in left hemisphere Left-handed individuals Show more variation in processing More likely to have reading problems

Handedness and Other Abilities How Do Young Children’s Motor Skills Develop? Handedness and Other Abilities Left-handers more common among Mathematicians Musicians Architects Artists 20% of top-scoring SAT group were left handed

Nutrition Energy/calorie needs increase with age What Are Some Important Aspects of Young Children’s Health? Nutrition Energy/calorie needs increase with age Basal metabolism rate (BMR): minimum amount of energy used in resting state Diets should be well-balanced Avoid excessive fast food, fat, and sugar

Obesity in Young Children What Are Some Important Aspects of Young Children’s Health? Obesity in Young Children Percentage of obese children increasing Encourage child to make independent and better choices Childhood obesity affects health problems Center life around activities, not meals Obesity linked to self-esteem

Preventing Childhood Injuries What Are Some Important Aspects of Young Children’s Health? Preventing Childhood Injuries Accidents are leading cause of death in children ages 1 through 4 Many injuries can be prevented Always use car seats Lock up guns Childproof home and playground Better construction of playground equipment

Main Causes of Death in Children 1 Through 4 Years of Age Influenza and pneumonia Diseases of the heart Assault (homicides) 12.5 0.8 1.2 2.5 2.8 3.6 Malignant neoplasms Congenial malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities Accidents (unintentional injuries) Motor vehicle 4.3 Other accidents 8.2 Deaths per 100,000 children Main Causes of Death in Children 1 Through 4 Years of Age Fig. 9.9