Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Chapter 11 Physical Development in Middle Childhood Child Development, 3/e by Robert Feldman Created by Barbara H. Bratsch

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall In what ways do children grow during the school years, and what factors influence their growth? What are the nutritional needs of school-age children, and what are some causes and effects of improper nutrition? What sorts of health threats do school-age children face? What are the characteristics of motor development during middle childhood, and what advantages do improved physical skills bring? What safety threats affect school-age children, and what can be done about them? What sorts of special needs manifest themselves in the middle childhood years, and how can they be met?

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Physical Development in Middle Childhood Slow and Steady – it is not unusual for children in middle childhood to vary as much as 6-7 inches in height

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Nutrition Children receiving more nutrients have more energy and feel more self-confident

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Childhood Obesity Obesity is defined as body weight more than 20% above average for a person of similar height and age. At least 13% of US children are obese – a proportion that has tripled since the 1960s

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Balanced Diet?

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Asthma Asthma is a chronic condition characterized by periodic attacks of wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Psychological Disorders Childhood Depression Anxiety Disorders

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Motor Development Gross motor skills- muscle coordination improves so children can better learn to ride bikes, skate, skip rope, and swim Fine motor skills- Myelin in the brain increases significantly from 6-8 years old so skills such as cursive writing or using a keyboard are easier to master

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Gross Motor Skills

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Safety and Children Auto accidents rank as the most frequent source of injury to children between the ages of 5 and 9 Fires, burns, drowning, and gun-related deaths follow in frequency

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Injury

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Children with Special Needs Visual impairment – difficulties in seeing that may include blindness or partial sightedness Auditory impairment – a special need that involves the loss of hearing or some aspect of hearing Speech impairment – speech that deviates so much from the speech of others that it calls attention to itself, interferes with communication, or produces maladjustment in the speaker Stuttering – substantial disruption in the rhythm and fluency of speech; the most common speech impairment

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Learning Disabilities Learning disabilities – difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - a learning disability marked by inattention, impulsiveness, a low tolerance for frustration, and a great deal of inappropriate activity

Feldman Child Development, 3/e ©2004 Prentice Hall Least restrictive environment – the setting most similar to that of children without special needs Mainstreaming – an educational approach in which exceptional children are integrated as much as possible into the traditional educational system and are provided with a broad range of educational alternatives Full inclusion – the integration of all students, even those with the most severe disabilities, into regular classes and all other aspects of school and community life