Kathleen Stassen Berger Prepared by Madeleine Lacefield Tattoon, M.A. 1 Part III The Play Years: Biosocial Development Chapter Eight Body Changes Brain Development Injuries and Abuse

2 The Play Years: Biosocial Development Children grow bigger and stronger… become more skilled at tasks… by age 6, they can skip, write, and much more, as long as they have had enough practice.

3 Body Changes –1-year-olds are cute and chubby, while 6 year olds are “grown up” –the body and brain develop according to powerful epigenetic forces – biologically driven as well as socially guided, experience-expectant and experience-dependent…

4 Body Changes Growth Patterns –children become slimmer –the lower body lengthens –lose baby fat and gain muscle

5 Body Changes Growth Patterns –gone is the protruding belly –round face –short limbs –large head (that characterize the toddler)

6 Body Changes Growth Patterns –each year from age 2–6, well-nourished children add almost 3 inches and gain about 4 ½ pounds –6-year-olds weigh about 46 pounds

7 Body Changes Growth Patterns –A typical 6-year-old: is at least 3 ½ feet tall weighs between 40 and 50 pounds looks lean, not chubby has adult-like body proportions

8 Body Changes Growth Patterns –ethnic groups living together in the same developed nation, children of: African descent tend to be the tallest, then European descent Asian descent Latino descent

9 Body Changes Eating Habits –Infants and young children today play outside less than their parents or grandparents did

10 Body Changes Eating Habits –Nutritional deficiencies children in developed nations consume enough calories but lack iron, zinc, and calcium most cultures encourage their children to eat sweets

11 Body Changes Eating Habits –Just right “just right” or “just so” phenomenon is normal and widespread among children most young children’s food preferences and rituals are far from ideal

12 Body Changes Eating Habits—Just Right –phase peaked at about age 3... –have things done in a particular order or in a certain way –strong preference to wear or not wear certain clothes –prepare for bedtime by engaging in a special activity, routine, or ritual –strong preference for certain foods

13 Body Changes Eating Habits –by age 6 the “just right” fades –parents should be patient until the “just right” obsession fades

14 Brain Development “Brains grow rapidly even before birth.” by age 2 the brains increase in size –a great deal of pruning of dendrites has already occurred –brain growth after infancy is a crucial difference between humans and other animals

15 Brain Development Speed of Thought –continued proliferation of the communication pathways (dendrites and axons) results in some brain growth –Myelination is the process by which axons become coated with myelin, a fatty substance that speeds the transmission of nerve impulses from neuron to neuron

16 Brain Development Connecting the Brain’s Hemispheres –Corpus Callosum a long band of nerve fibers that connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain –Lateralization the specialization of certain functions by each side of the brain, with one side dominant for each activity

17 Brain Development The Left-Handed Child –infants and toddlers usually prefer one hand over the other –for centuries, parents who saw a preference for the left-hand forced their children to be right-handed –developmentalist advise against trying to switch a child’s handedness, because it might interfere with the natural and necessary process of lateralization

18 Brain Development –The left half controls the right side of the body and contains the areas dedicated to logical reasoning, detailed analysis, and the basics of language. –The right half controls the left side of the body and contains the area dedicated to generalized emotion and creative impulses, including appreciation of most music, art, and poetry.

19 Brain Development –severely brain-damaged people are exclusively left-brained or right-brained –every cognitive skill requires both sides of the brain –older children have more myelinated fibers in the corpus callosum, resulting in better thinking and less clumsy actions

20 Brain Development Planning and Analyzing –the prefrontal cortex or frontal cortex is an area in the front part of the brain’s outer layer –it is the executive part of the brain… ruling all the other areas –this area underlies higher-order cognition

21 Brain Development Maturation of the Prefrontal Cortex Notable benefits occur from age 2 – 6 sleep becomes more regular emotions become more and responsive to specific stimuli temper tantrums subside uncontrollable laughter or tears become less common

22 Brain Development Attention a major function of the prefrontal cortex is to focus attention and thus curb impulsiveness perseveration is the tendency to persevere in, or stick to, one thought or action for a long time

23 Brain Development Emotions and the Brain –amygdala a tiny brain structure that registers emotions, particularly fear and anxiety –hippocampus a brain structure that is a central processor of memory, especially the memory of location –hypothalamus a brain area that responds to the amygdala and the hippocampus to produce hormones that activate other parts of the brain and body

24 Brain Development Emotions and the Brain

25 Brain Development Emotions and the Brain –stressful experiences… can foster growth if the child has someone or something to moderate the stress –prolonged physiological responses to stress put children at risk for a variety of problems : physical and mental disorders poor emotional regulation cognitive impairments

26 Brain Development Motor Skills –maturation of the prefrontal cortex improves impulse control –myelinaton of the corpus callosum and lateralization of the brain permits better coordination

27 Brain Development Gross Motor Skills –involves large body movement Fine Motor Skills –involve small body movement (are harder to master) –many fine motor skills involve two hands… both sides of the brain

28 Brain Development Artistic Expression –during the play years children are imaginative, creative, and not yet very self-critical –all forms of artistic expression blossom during early childhood –in every artistic domain, maturation of brain and body is gradual and comes with practice

29 Brain Development Artistic Expression

30 Injuries and Abuse more young children die of violence, either accidental or deliberate than from any other cause they are more vulnerable to injuries and abuse than older children they are impulsive, yet depend on others

31 Injuries and Abuse Avoidable injury –worldwide injuries cause millions of premature deaths among young adults as well as children –injury control/harm reduction practices that are aimed at anticipating, controlling, and preventing dangerous activities

32 Injuries and Abuse Avoidable injury—3 Levels of Prevention –Primary Prevention actions that change overall background conditions to prevent some unwanted event or circumstances, such as injury, disease, or abuse

33 Injuries and Abuse Avoidable injury –Secondary Prevention actions that avert harm in a high-risk situation, such as stopping a car before it hits a pedestrian

34 Injuries and Abuse Avoidable injury –Tertiary Prevention actions, such as immediate and effective medical treatment, that are taken after an adverse event occurs, and are aimed at reducing the harm or preventing disability

35 Injuries and Abuse Avoidable injury

36 Child Maltreatment –intentional harm to, or avoidable endangerment of, anyone under 18 years of age Child Abuse –deliberate action that is harmful to a child’s physical, emotional, or sexual well-being Child Neglect –failure to meet a child’s basic physical, educational, or emotional needs

37 Child Maltreatment Reported Maltreatment –harm or endangerment about which someone has notified the authorities Substantiated Maltreatment –harm or endangerment that been reported, investigated, and verified

38 Child Maltreatment First warning signs of maltreatment are: –delayed development –slow grow –immature communication –lack of curiosity –unusual social interaction

39 Child Maltreatment Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) –is a delayed reaction to a trauma or shock –may include hyperactivity and hyper- vigilance –displaced anger, sleeplessness, sudden terror or anxiety – and confusion between fantasy and reality

40 Child Maltreatment Consequences of Maltreatment –is effected by cultural context –maltreatment compromises basic health –maltreated children and adolescents are often bullies or victims or both –these perspectives can last for a life span